Skenes shuts down Diamondbacks, Pirates win series at PNC Park
Paul Skenes dominant again, striking out 9 in 6 innings as Pirates blank D-backs 6-0
I thought it was *** pretty good outing. Could have done *** little bit better job just attacking the zone, but um yeah, I did *** nice job working out some stuff, so I was happy with it. Speaking of working out some stuff and it being hot, how much prouder can you be as the strikeouts and working back from falling behind? Yeah, I mean, honestly, I think that he kind of helped to an extent because I was just. Focused on um. Staying out there and not passing out or throwing up or anything, so I was just focusing on making the next pitch rather than anything else. So I think, I think that helped, but um it was definitely made it harder, but um. Yeah, I was, I mean, I was, you know, thought it was *** good job. Did you even sit down in the 2nd inning? Uh Yeah, before that, uh, I think, yeah, I mean we have *** fan down under. I sat down for *** second and got some water and then went back out. I, uh, to an extent I, I like short innings because it just, you don’t have time to settle in. So, um, probably could have used *** little bit more rest, but it was obviously fine. It seemed like he didn’t want *** short 6th inning because you thought he came out to visit you. Would you, would you, what do you say to you, would you tell him? He walked out, um, I think it was like in Minnesota, like he wanted to get talked out of it and. So I was, I was just like, hey, you know Donnie, what do you got? And he was like, What do you got? And I’m like, I got another hitter. And that was it. So I felt bad when I saw him walking out because I knew we were going to burn *** visit, but didn’t end up needing it. So our reliver stepped up and did *** good job. Do you hear the fans booing as Donnie comes out to get you? Yeah, um, I don’t think that has any effect on Donnie, you know, his decision, definitely hear it, but. You know, I get polled, they’re probably going to cheer right after, so I understand. I mean, I was *** fan. I did the same thing. Um, But yeah, I felt good so I was, I was, you know, I wasn’t coming out there. Seem like *** good for you. Yeah, it was good. There were *** couple of bad ones, but um I executed them when I needed to, picked the right times. Um, Henry called *** great game, so I was, I was really happy with it. Sweeper, 2, yeah, it was one of the outside of just, you know, starting off 10 *** lot and um 2021, those counts like I think it was ***. Really well-pitched game on, on my part in terms of, you know, compared to other. Other, uh, games that I pitched this year, obviously, yeah, like just, yeah, just getting ahead of guys, um, so we can put them away quicker. I thought, you know. Obviously I want to cover, to cover more than 6 if possible. I’m glad we covered 6, but for *** while there I thought I was only going to get 5, so. Um You know it was uh Could have been worse. I know you don’t pay too much attention to numbers, about 0.670 right in the month of July. What do you look at when you look at the sample size from this month and how effective you were able to be? Um, yeah, I didn’t look at that. Good, cool, um. Just go. I mean, July, I mean that’s great, just being able to go out there and you know, put us in *** position to win and just got to keep going. August is tough, you know, mentally, physically, so. Really, I think *** lot of July I’ve been trying to get ready for that. Um, so I just got to keep doing that, keep putting my body in good positions and go out there and keep pitching well. You faced runners in scoring position early in the inning on 2 or 3 separate occasions. What helped you get out of those jams? Just executing. Yeah, I think that was another thing that drove the pitch count up is just having to execute pitches because. You get run around 2nd, run around 3rd with, you know, less than 2, they’re gonna, I mean, really just in general, they’re probably gonna swing early more often. And so we’re just gonna chase pitches *** little earlier in the count. Um, They either swing or it’s *** ball with, with *** lot of those, so, um, yeah, that kind of drove the pitch count up but you know, ended up executing.
Skenes shuts down Diamondbacks, Pirates win series at PNC Park
Paul Skenes dominant again, striking out 9 in 6 innings as Pirates blank D-backs 6-0
Updated: 6:52 PM EDT Jul 27, 2025
Paul Skenes struck out nine and gave up three hits in six innings, Oneil Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in two runs each, and the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second straight game, 6-0 on Sunday.According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes (6-8) is the first pitcher to have an ERA below 2 through his first 45 starts. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year sits at 1.89 for his career and 1.83 this year, which leads the majors.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.Key momentSkenes 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.Key statSkenes has allowed one run or fewer in 14 of 22 starts this season after doing it 14 times as a rookie.Up nextThe D-backs head to Detroit to begin a series against the Tigers on Monday, and the Pirates play at San Francisco.
PITTSBURGH (AP) —
Paul Skenes struck out nine and gave up three hits in six innings, Oneil Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in two runs each, and the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second straight game, 6-0 on Sunday.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes (6-8) is the first pitcher to have an ERA below 2 through his first 45 starts. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year sits at 1.89 for his career and 1.83 this year, which leads the majors.
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.
Key moment
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.
Key stat
Skenes has allowed one run or fewer in 14 of 22 starts this season after doing it 14 times as a rookie.
Up next
The D-backs head to Detroit to begin a series against the Tigers on Monday, and the Pirates play at San Francisco.