Paul Skenes Shuts Down Reds With Two-Hit Start In Pirates’ Win

Paul Skenes is back to dominating on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates earned a big win on Thursday night, shutting out a fellow National League Central squad in the Cincinnati Reds. It was a 7-0 victory for Pittsburgh that featured a six-run fifth inning. The team was powered by a three-hit night from Bryan De La Cruz and a two-hit night from Bryan Reynolds. Yasmani Grandal also went deep for the Buccos.

But the most notable name, as per usual with the Pirates this season, was Skenes. The 22-year-old rookie held the Reds to just two hits and zero runs while striking out nine batters. This was his first scoreless outing since July 11 but was his second-straight win.

Skenes’ latest performance brings his ERA down to an impressive 2.16 through 17 starts on the campaign. His 2.16 ERA is the lowest in baseball since he made his major league debut on May 11.

The rookie also struck out the side in the second inning, leaving the Pirates looking for answers.

Pittsburgh will be back at it on Friday night when they take on the Reds in Game 2 of the four-game series at PNC Park.

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