Skenes Erases the Memory of a Nightmare Start

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes delivered a commanding rebound performance on Wednesday, throwing five solid innings and earning his first win of the 2026 season in an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

Skenes (1-1) allowed just one run on three hits, struck out five and walked two, tossing 77 pitches (51 strikes). The outing slashed his season ERA from 67.50 to 9.53, erasing the damage from his previous start when he retired just two batters while allowing five runs.

One Focus: Execution

"Still a work in progress but nice to give some volume," Skenes said with a grin. He credited the turnaround entirely to refocusing on pitch execution, blocking out outside noise following heavy scrutiny after his rough World Baseball Classic-influenced start.

Manager Don Kelly praised his ace's resilience, noting that even after an opening walk to TJ Friedl, Skenes dialed back in immediately. Kelly also confirmed the five-inning limit was planned, targeting around 80 pitches given Skenes' limited workload in his previous outing.

Cruz Homer Sets the Tone

Oneil Cruz's three-run blast off Reds starter Andrew Abbott (0-1) in the first inning gave Pittsburgh a comfortable cushion. Skenes carried a no-hitter into the fourth before yielding a single to Elly De La Cruz, followed by a Nathaniel Lowe RBI double — snapping his 31-inning scoreless streak against Cincinnati dating to his career debut against the club.

Relievers closed out the final 3⅓ innings despite a two-run pinch-hit homer by Eugenio Suárez, preserving Pittsburgh's first series victory of the season.