CINCINNATI -- Aces are built to be skid stoppers. With the Pirates tumbling as of late with three straight losses, it was naturally Paul Skenes' job to get them back on track.
Despite Pittsburgh’s offense providing some runs to work with, Skenes was unable to do that. The third-year ace allowed seven hits while posting a season-high four walks to give up five runs in just four innings against the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Friday night.
Skenes’ outing rounds out the worst month of his MLB career, producing a 6.25 ERA in six starts and pushing his season ERA to 3.90. The Pirates trailed, 5-4, when Skenes exited for Antwone Kelly in the fifth.
Skenes, historically, has pitched exceptionally against the Reds, twirling a 1.38 ERA with a 5-0 record in seven starts, entering Friday. Yet Skenes couldn’t find a groove early on, walking two batters and allowing two hits and two runs on 36 pitches in the first inning.
The Pirates offense built Skenes a 2-0 lead to open the contest, but it was quickly erased. Jake Mangum earned the lead back with a solo shot in the second and Skenes answered with a clean bottom half, striking out two in the inning.
But just as it looked like Skenes hit his stride, JJ Bleday unloaded on a 96.3 mph fastball for a no-doubt homer in the third -- the first home run Skenes has allowed against the Reds in his career. His inning only unraveled from there. He walked two more batters and ballooned his pitch count to over 80 through three innings after striking out Noelvi Marte to leave the bases loaded.
To close his outing, Skenes gave up a triple to Elly De La Cruz and a two-run homer to Sal Stewart to dead center, giving Cincinnati the lead again in the fourth.
Skenes’ month began with the worst start of his career, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in Philadelphia. He snapped a nine-game winless streak dating back to early May with three straight victories before what he described as a “weird” outing occurred against the Cubs in his ninth loss of the season.