PITTSBURGH – Paul Skenes usually needs just a few pitches to mow through an opposing lineup. In the top of the second inning Friday night, he needed 38 to escape.
Skenes’ career-high pitches in an inning led to an exit after five innings. He allowed four runs on six hits with two walks, salvaging the final three innings of his outing with just 39 pitches. The Reds led the Pirates by two when Skenes exited.
Pittsburgh quickly battled back to tie the game at 4 and get him off the hook. But the Pirates' bullpen allowed their first runs in 11 2/3 innings, resulting in a 6-4 loss. Skenes struck out seven before departing, including the 500th of his career to pass Bob Veale and become the fastest Pittsburgh pitcher (72 starts) to reach the achievement.
Skenes hasn’t won a game in June since his rookie season in 2024. Miraculously, the Pirates' ace also hasn’t recorded a win since May 12 despite allowing two runs through six innings in each of his last three starts.
“I think it does get frustrating for Paul, for the team, for everybody, for me, when Paul has a start and we don't win. We need to find a way to win,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said.
The Reds weren’t fazed by Skenes early on. Blake Dunn led off with a single at 95.8 mph before Elly De La Cruz blasted a ball at 97.2 mph to center field for a long flyout. Skenes refound himself and escaped the first inning unscathed.
Konnor Griffin gave Skenes an early lead to work with, as the 20-year-old shortstop belted a leadoff homer in his first game off the injured list. The Reds took the game right back with four straight hits to start the second inning, scoring four runs to take the lead.
In the frame, Skenes walked two and tied the most hits in an inning he’s ever given up with four. He allowed four runs or more in an inning for just the fourth time in his three-year career. Skenes looked for simple fixes, like throwing the pitch a bit higher or lower.
“Just couldn't get that punchout pitch a little bit and the at-bats ran long,” Skenes said. “They did a good job.”
Skenes then responded with a strong third inning, retiring the side in order. But his pitch count was already north of 70.
Although the average velocity on Skenes’ four-seam fastball has dipped from 98.1 mph to 97 mph since last season, his 30.6% strikeout rate is slightly higher than it was a year ago (29.5%) and ranks in the 94th percentile in the Majors.
Once Skenes exited, the Pirates battled back sparingly to tie the game at 4. Henry Davis scored on a sacrifice fly in the fifth before Marcell Ozuna and Esmerlyn Valdez both homered in the sixth. Pittsburgh’s bullpen had produced 11 2/3 scoreless innings during the homestand until the eighth inning, where Mason Montgomery allowed a pinch-hit home run to Noelvi Marte to break the tie.
As Skenes’ ERA is now at 3.10, his candidacy for a third straight All-Star Game has taken a hit in a stacked National League field. Entering Friday, Skenes seemed like a shoo-in for the honor, and on his way to becoming the fourth pitcher in MLB history to make the Midsummer Classic in his first three seasons, joining Yu Darvish, Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver.
Skenes entered his seventh start against the Reds 5-0 with a 0.53 ERA against them. It’s safe to say Cincinnati found its form against Pittsburgh’s star, though the Pirates' bats made it a game.
“I'm happy with it overall,” Skenes said of his 2026 season thus far. “I think it's been a little bit odd. But in terms of the controllables, I've been happy with how I've been throwing and just gonna continue to get better.”