Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes rebounded from a poor Opening Day outing with five solid innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, contributing to an 8-3 victory at Great American Ball Park. Skenes allowed one run on three hits, walked two, struck out five and threw 77 pitches for his first win of the 2026 season. Manager Don Kelly noted the early exit was planned to build toward a full workload.
CINCINNATI -- Paul Skenes took the mound for the Pirates seeking redemption after last Thursday's Opening Day debacle in New York, where he lasted just two-thirds of an inning and surrendered five earned runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter. Defensive miscues by Oneil Cruz in center field contributed, but Skenes bore responsibility too. Against the Reds, however, he settled in quickly despite an opening walk to TJ Friedl, limiting Cincinnati to one run on a fourth-inning double by Nathaniel Lowe scoring Elly De La Cruz and snapping his 31-inning scoreless streak versus them dating to June 17, 2024. Skenes is now 5-0 with a 0.53 ERA in six career starts against the Reds, allowing two runs over 34 innings. Pirates manager Don Kelly praised Skenes' competitiveness, saying the 77-pitch limit after just 37 in his prior start targeted around 80 pitches to preserve him for the long haul. 'He did a great job getting through five. As we go, he’s going to be throwing more than five and 77,' Kelly said. Skenes dismissed external noise, stating, 'Nothing matters except for the game,' and focused on execution. Oneil Cruz aided with a three-run homer off Reds starter Andrew Abbott in the first, helping Pittsburgh build a 4-1 lead before Skenes departed. The bullpen held on despite a two-run homer by Eugenio Suárez, securing Pittsburgh's first series win of the season before 15,007 fans.
