PITTSBURGH -- Paul Skenes came out firing on Tuesday night. The Pirates’ ace continued to be dominant into the seventh inning in a 3-1 victory over the Rockies in the opener of a three-game series.
Skenes struck out the first six Rockies hitters he faced and lost a no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning on Mickey Moniak’s single. Moniak hit a liner into left-center field, and center fielder Oneil Cruz just missed making a diving catch.
Skenes was overpowering at the start of the game. He got Edouard Julien, Moniak and Hunter Goodman swinging in the first inning. In the second, Skenes fanned TJ Rumfield, Tyler Freeman and Troy Johnston.
Willi Castro ended the strikeout streak when he unsuccessfully attempted to bunt his way on base to open the third inning, drawing boos from the home crowd.
Unfazed by the bunt, Skenes retired the first 14 batters before losing his perfect game bid when he walked Johnston with two outs in the fifth inning. Johnston was then thrown out trying to steal second base by catcher Henry Davis.
Skenes then set down four more batters before Moniak played the spoiler.
Skenes (6-2) wound up pitching eight innings and allowed two hits -- Johnston doubled in the eighth -- while striking out 10 and walking none. Skenes threw 98 pitches.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes is the first Pirates pitcher in the Expansion Era (1961) to strike out the side in order three times in a game. The only MLB pitcher to do it four times in a game was the Cubs’ Kerry Wood on May 6, 1998, against the visiting Astros in a 20-strikeout game.
Skenes was coming off one of the best outings of his three-year career last Thursday in Phoenix when he shut out the Diamondbacks through eight innings before being lifted.
Gregory Soto pitched the ninth and -- after allowing a run on an RBI double to catcher Hunter Goodman -- got his fourth save of the season to seal the win.
Despite being the National League Rookie of the Year in 2024 and Cy Young Award winner last season, Skenes’ only career complete game occurred last season. He pitched eight innings in a road loss to the Phillies.
The Pirates scored all three of their runs on RBI singles, as Nick Gonzales hit one in the first inning, Brandon Lowe in the fifth and Bryan Reynolds in the seventh.