PITTSBURGH -- Paul Skenes reached some personal bests on Sunday, but the Pirates' ace was pulled in the sixth inning with his team trailing the Phillies at PNC Park.
Skenes ran his scoreless-innings streak to a career-high 20 before allowing two runs in the fifth inning, on a groundout by Justin Crawford and a single by Trea Turner.
Skenes’ streak of 39 consecutive innings without issuing a walk ended when Adolis García drew one to lead off the fifth. It was the longest streak by a Pirates pitcher since Bob Friend went 46 1/3 innings in 1963.
After García walked, Skenes struck out Bryson Stott, but JT Realmuto singled to put runners on the corners. Crawford was thrown out at first by shortstop Konnor Griffin, who made a spectacular sprawling stop in the hole. García scored on the groundout, and Turner then knocked in Realmuto to put the Phillies ahead, 2-0.
Bryce Harper led off the sixth inning with a home run off Skenes, last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner. After Alec Bohm singled and went to third on Brandon Marsh’s double, Pirates manager Don Kelly went to the mound to remove Skenes.
Isaac Mattson relieved and allowed both inherited runners to score. Skenes wound up being charged with five earned runs, tying his career high, in five-plus innings. He allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked one while throwing 92 pitches.