Pirates push Paul Skenes back up to 99 pitches, and he again throws shutout in win over Diamondbacks
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates let Paul Skenes take on a more normal workload again.
What did not change was his effectiveness.
Skenes struck out nine in six three-hit innings, and the Pirates shut out Arizona for a second straight day, beating the Diamondbacks 6-0 Sunday. It was the fourth scoreless outing in Skenes' last five starts, but this time he threw 99 pitches — his most in over a month.
“Ramping him back up a little bit,” manager Don Kelly told reporters afterward.
Pittsburgh's pitching staff is on a bit of a roll right now. The Pirates beat Detroit 6-1 Wednesday, then lost 1-0 in 11 innings to Arizona Friday night — the only run in that game was unearned after the Diamondbacks started the final inning with a man on second.
Then Pittsburgh outscored Arizona 8-0 over the final two games of the series.
This was the most pitches by Skenes since he threw 105 at Detroit on June 19. In his next five starts, he did not throw more than 88.
Kelly visited the mound in the sixth, drawing boos, but left Skenes in to complete the frame.
“It's a hot day, he's approaching 100 pitches. ... We've kept his pitch count down a little bit," Kelly said. “Just wanted to make sure that he was in a good spot there to finish it off.”
Skenes has thrown 133 innings this year, matching his total as a rookie in 2024.
Skenes lowered his ERA to a major league-best 1.83. The Pirates also gave him some run support for a change. This was only the seventh time in his 22 starts this year Pittsburgh finished with more than three runs.
Skenes is the only starter this season who hasn't allowed a first-inning run. He struck out two in the first, including Geraldo Perdomo, who hadn't fanned in a league-best 39 straight at-bats.
Jake McCarthy had a one-out triple in the second, but Skenes struck out James McCann and retired Alek Thomas on a popup to short. Skenes also worked around a leadoff double by Tristin English in the third.
Cruz walked leading off the Pirates second and the majors stolen base leader with 34 was off and running when Tommy Pham singled to center field on a 1-2 pitch from Zac Gallen for a 1-0 lead.
Gallen (7-12) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. Arizona scored one run in the three-game series, winning 1-0 in 11 innings Friday night.
Skenes hit Eugenio Suárez with a 3-2 pitch leading off the fourth, and McCarthy doubled him to third with one out. Skenes then struck out McCann on three pitches and Thomas on six.
Skenes has allowed one run or fewer in 14 of 22 starts this season after doing it 14 times as a rookie.
The Pirates play at San Francisco.
