PITTSBURGH -- As the Pirates strive for their first winning season since 2018, a win over the Royals would clinch their best season since that same year.
Pittsburgh defeated Kansas City, 8-5, to open a three-game series on Friday night at PNC Park. The Bucs (77-77) are on the brink of missing the postseason for the 11th consecutive season. Still, with eight games to go, they have a shot at ending the year over .500.
The 77th win came despite Paul Skenes allowing five runs over his first four innings of work. Leading the way to victory were two other pillars, Konnor Griffin and Oneil Cruz, who combined for seven hits.
Tied at 5 in the bottom of the seventh, Pittsburgh rallied for three runs to take its first lead of the game. Spencer Horwitz drove in Cruz and Nick Gonzales with a single to left field. Then, Griffin singled for the third four-hit game of his career, to score Horwitz and stretch the lead to 8-5.
The Pirates trailed for much of the game with Skenes falling behind. He allowed a solo homer to Vinnie Pasquantino in the first inning and three more runs in the third on a barrage of base hits. A solo home run from Michael Massey stretched the lead to 5-2 in the fourth and Pittsburgh gradually worked its way back to give Skenes a no-decision.