PITTSBURGH — In a tightly contested match, Paul Skenes delivered yet another strong performance on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Skenes pitched into the eighth inning, solidifying his reputation with an impressive display before Andrew McCutchen’s timely single propelled the Pirates to clinch the series through a narrow 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, sweeping their three-game series on Sunday.
With a commendable outing, Skenes managed to reduce his ERA to an impressive 1.88, though his record remains unchanged at 4-6. The 23-year-old ace was dominant, conceding only one unearned run across two hits while amassing seven strikeouts and allowing just one walk over 7 2/3 innings of work. His removal in favor of Braxton Ashcraft proved strategic, as Ashcraft (1-0) completed the game, capturing his first major league win by securing the final four outs.
The tension mounted as Cristopher Sánchez (5-2) initiated the Pirates’ eighth inning by allowing a walk to Oneil Cruz. Andrew McCutchen took charge, hitting a broken-bat single to right off Owen Kerkering, allowing Cruz to hustle home before Nick Castellanos could make an outfield play that might have disrupted Pittsburgh’s scoring.
The result marks a challenging period for the Phillies, who have now dropped five consecutive games and nine out of their last ten. Despite a lackluster win-loss record in recent games, Skenes has showcased remarkable skills, conceding just five runs across 42 1/3 innings in his last six appearances. His previous start against Houston saw him allow merely one run across eight innings.
In Sunday’s game, Sánchez yielded two runs overall, being tagged for an RBI double by Jared Triolo in the second inning, and six hits during his seven innings on the mound while striking out nine batters.
A key moment unfolded when Ashcraft entered the game amid dwindling boos from the crowd after the decision to relieve Skenes. Ashcraft faced Marsh with poise, resulting in a walk before inducing a groundout from Marchán. To finish the match, Ashcraft elegantly maneuvered Alec Bohm into a double play that sealed the win.
Possibly contributing to Skenes’ command on the field, a notable statistic is that he has held opposing teams to a maximum of six hits in each of his 37 major league outings to date.
Looking ahead, the Phillies plan to start right-hander Zack Wheeler (6-2, 2.96 ERA) on Monday as they begin a three-game home series against the Chicago Cubs, featuring left-hander Matthew Boyd (5-3, 3.01). Meanwhile, the Pirates are set to deploy right-hander Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.27 ERA) as they host the Miami Marlins in a new three-game series also commencing on Monday.