PITTSBURGH -- September is a time for aces to be aces and carry their teams to victory through low-scoring affairs. Paul Skenes was unable to do so on the first day of the month.
The 24-year-old Skenes allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings Tuesday night against the Giants at PNC Park. A 34-minute bottom of the third by the Pirates that featured nine runs and nine hits gave Skenes a large cushion to deal out of, and he ended his night on 95 pitches (56 strikes) with a six-run lead.
Pittsburgh went on to defeat San Francisco, 13-12, to open the homestand behind its offensive breakout. Even with a bullpen meltdown in a five-run eighth inning to tie the score, the Pirates survived with a walk-off win.
“I feel good. I think I could’ve gone longer,” Skenes said. “I don’t know how many pitches I threw today, but I know they’re trying to watch volume a little bit, so I’m not pushing back too much.”
Pirates manager Don Kelly said Skenes was slated to pitch around 85-90 pitches, and they pushed him further in an attempt to finish the fifth inning. Kelly added that Skenes took a step back from his start in San Diego command-wise, though velocity stayed somewhat up near 98 mph.
Skenes saw issues in execution, specifically in three-ball counts, as he walked people this time around compared to his last time out.
“If you execute three-ball counts, you don’t walk them and get asked about it as much,” Skenes said. “It comes down to not getting into three-ball counts, too. I’ve just got to throw the ball where I want it to a little more often.”
Skenes needed 16 pitches to record his first out as he couldn’t locate early. He threw six straight balls across the second and third batters of the game and allowed a leadoff single and then a walk, though he escaped unscathed.
The final outing of August for Skenes looked more like the National League Cy Young Award-winning version of the starting pitcher. He reached 99 mph and walked no batters while allowing three hits through six scoreless innings against the Padres.
Skenes had already walked his first batter Tuesday in the first inning, but Pittsburgh’s offense gave him a cushion with two first-inning runs off Logan Webb.
The Giants quickly erased the early deficit and flipped it on its head, notching three singles and a three-run homer by Rafael Devers to build a 5-2 lead. Skenes’ second inning featured 26 pitches and his second walk of the game as his season ERA flipped over 4.00.
Pittsburgh is five games out of the final NL Wild Card spot. It would take a historically strong September for the Pirates to sneak their way into the playoff picture.
Skenes locked back in with a 10-pitch third inning, and Webb allowed five runs before recording an out in the bottom half to give the Pirates the lead again. Webb’s day ended at 65 pitches, but Pittsburgh’s offense didn’t stop. The Pirates posted four more runs in the frame to take an 11-5 lead, all without an extra-base hit.
Skenes came back out for the fourth after 34 minutes of watching, and he walked a batter but struck out another while keeping a clean slate. He returned for the fifth, where he allowed a single and double before exiting.
“I think it was pretty dang good after the first two innings,” Skenes said. “I just think it took a little bit to find it today. I’m not especially worried about it. We’ll look into it, something to help me find it earlier for the next game, but I don’t think there’s anything that really needs to change.”
Pittsburgh added on with Brandon Lowe’s 29th homer of the year, and Oneil Cruz finished with four hits. The Giants came back to tie in the eighth with five runs, loading the bases on Evan Sisk and cashing in against Luke Weaver.
Many times throughout Skenes’ career, he has carried the Pirates without the backing of the offense. On Tuesday, just like many times in his peculiar third season, it was quite the opposite, as the offense kept Pittsburgh in the game and saved it in the end.