• Who: Pirates (22-19) vs. Rockies (16-25) • What: MLB regular season, Game 42 • When: 6:40 p.m. • Where: PNC Park • Pitchers: RHP Paul Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-4, 6.92) • TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Rockies.TV • Radio: Pirates Radio Network • Satellite: SiriusXM 177/861 •Boxscore: DKPS • Medianotes: Pirates | Rockies
► FOLLOW ALONG
• FINAL: Paul Skenes tosses eight scoreless innings, allows only two hits and strikes out 10 ... All three Pirates runs were driven in with two outs. Pirates improve to 23-19. Pirates win, 3-1
• Jordan Beck pinch hitting for Moniak. With a full count, he hits a double down the left field line.
• Brenton Doyle is pinch hitting for Julien. He pops out to first. Two down.
• Kyle Karros pinch hits for McCarthy. He flies out to left.
• Gregory Soto comes out of the bullpen to close this out. A small smattering of "We Want Paul" chants from the crowd. Doesn't last too long.
• Davis lines out to third. Onto the ninth.
• Griffin lines out to centerfield. Two down.
• Horwitz walks.
• Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes is the only Pirates pitcher in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to strike out the side at least three times in a single game. The only major league pitcher to do that four times in a game since 1961 was Kerry Wood in his 20-strikeout game on May 6, 1998.
• Paid attendance: 13,516
• Ozuna strikes out swinging.
• Gonzales leads off the eighth with a book-rule double to left field.
• Tovar taps out weakly to Skenes. Easy 1-3 putout. Skenes walks off to a nice ovation. Eight scoreless for him.
• Castro pops out to left field. Two down.
• Johnston rips a double down the right field line. First time tonight a Rockie is in scoring position.
• Freeman grounds out to Griffin at shortstop. Nice play moving to his right.
• O'Hearn pops out to third. Another insurance run. Skenes is coming out to pitch the eighth.
• RUN: Bryan Reynolds hit a slow roller that stays in the infield, but it took Edouard Julien far too long to field it and throw it to get Reynolds out at first. Everyone moves up 90 feet while Konnor Griffin scores. Pirates, 3-0
• Lowe pops out in foul territory. Reynolds coming to the plate.
• Cruz pops one up into shallow left field near the foul line, but it falls just out of reach of McCarthy. Bases loaded, one out for Lowe.
• Davis walks.
• Griffin grounds into a fielder's choice. Horwitz out at second base. Griffin safe at first.
• Horwitz leads off the Pittsburgh seventh with a single hit up the middle.
• Rumfield flies out to center. Cruz covered a lot of ground to get there. Nice running catch. Skenes with just one hit allowed in seven scoreless innings. At 89 pitches, he might be done for the night. Stretch time.
• Goodman pops out to first base.
• Skenes' bid for a no-hitter comes to an end with one out in the seventh. Moniak flares a single out into left center. Valiant effort by Cruz to dive for it, but it was just out of reach.
• Julien grounds out to first.
• Ozuna also lines out to shortstop. Onto the seventh.
• Gonzales lines out sharply to shortstop.
• O'Hearn goes down looking.
• Seth Halvorsen is in to pitch for Colorado.
• McCarthy's caught looking at strike three. Third time tonight Skenes has struck out the side. He's at 77 pitches.
• Tovar down on strikes.
• Castro doesn't try to bunt this time. He strikes out swinging.
• Reynolds flies out to left. Pirates have a two-run lead heading into the sixth.
• RUN: Brandon Lowe drives in Oneil Cruz with a single into right field. The throw from Tyler Freeman was close, but Cruz slides in safely under the tag. Pirates, 2-0
• Cruz with another double. This one laced to left-center. Two down. Lowe coming to the plate.
• Davis grounds out to third base.
• Griffin grounds out to shortstop.
• Davis catches Johnston trying to steal. Inning over. Skenes has faced the minimum.
• Yeah, Skenes had to talk some trash to Castro -- rightfully so -- about laying down a bunt to snap the streak of six straight strikeouts to start the game:
Paul Skenes struck out the first 6 batters he faced tonight, so the next hitter tried to lay down a bunt.
• Skenes' bid for a perfect game is over. He hit Johnston with a pitch.
• Freeman grounds out to third base. Two down.
• Rumfield shatters his bat and grounds out to second. One down to start the Colorado fifth.
• Pirates also go down in order. Pitcher's duel going on here.
• Skenes retires the Colorado fourth in order. Again. Sheesh.
• O'Hearn down on strikes. Onto the fourth.
• Reynolds has a hit fall in front of Freeman in right field. Lowe is initially called out at second on the throw. Kelly challenges the play at second, but the call is confirmed. Two down.
• Pirates are out of ABS challenges. Reynolds loses the second challenge.
• Cruz goes down looking. Then Lowe walks.
• Tovar flies out to right field, then McCarthy grounds out to second. Skenes needed only four pitches in the third. He's at 33 pitches through three innings.
• Willi Castro bunts the first pitch Skenes offers in the third, snapping the streak of six straight strikeouts to start the game. Boos rain down from the modest crowd here at PNC Park.
• Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the only Pirates in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to strike out six or more straight batters to begin a game are Skenes (seven, May 17, 2024 at Cubs), Andrew Heaney (six, April 23, 2025 at Angels) and Skenes tonight.
• Davis looks at strike three. Onto the third.
• Horwitz leads off the Pittsburgh second with a single, but then Griffin grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.
• Down goes Johnston. Six straight. Unreal.
• Freeman offers at a sweeper. Five straight.
• Rumfield looks at a painted fastball low and away for strike three. Four straight strikeouts to start the game.
• Ozuna grounds out to third to end the first inning.
• RUN: Nick Gonzales doesn't do too much. Just takes a sinker on the inner half of the plate and shoots it the other way to drive in Oneil Cruz for the first run of the game. Pirates, 1-0
• O'Hearn barely beats out a 4-6-3 double play attempt. Runners on the corners for Gonzales. Two down.
• Reynolds walks.
• Lowe loses an early ABS challenge. He's caught looking at a slider that barely clipped the outside corner.
• Cruz leads off the game with a 112.5-mph laser hit over Moniak's head in center field for a double.
• Skenes gets Julien swinging on a splitter. Then gets Moniak swinging at a fastball. Then gets Goodman swinging at a fastball. Strikes out the side on 15 pitches. This guy is pretty good.
• FIRST PITCH: Paul Skenes delivers strike one to Edouard Julien and we're underway at PNC Park.
• Don Kelly's lineup:
1. Oneil Cruz, CF 2. Brandon Lowe, 2B 3. Bryan Reynolds, LF 4. Ryan O'Hearn, RF 5. Nick Gonzales, 3B 6. Marcell Ozuna, DH 7. Spencer Horwitz, 1B 8. Konnor Griffin, SS 9. Henry Davis, C
THE ASYLUM
Final: Pirates 3, Rockies 1
• Who: Pirates (22-19) vs. Rockies (16-25)
• What: MLB regular season, Game 42
• When: 6:40 p.m.
• Where: PNC Park
• Pitchers: RHP Paul Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-4, 6.92)
• TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Rockies.TV
• Radio: Pirates Radio Network
• Satellite: SiriusXM 177/861
• Boxscore: DKPS
• Media notes: Pirates | Rockies
► FOLLOW ALONG
• FINAL: Paul Skenes tosses eight scoreless innings, allows only two hits and strikes out 10 ... All three Pirates runs were driven in with two outs. Pirates improve to 23-19. Pirates win, 3-1
• Jordan Beck pinch hitting for Moniak. With a full count, he hits a double down the left field line.
• Brenton Doyle is pinch hitting for Julien. He pops out to first. Two down.
• Kyle Karros pinch hits for McCarthy. He flies out to left.
• Gregory Soto comes out of the bullpen to close this out. A small smattering of "We Want Paul" chants from the crowd. Doesn't last too long.
• Davis lines out to third. Onto the ninth.
• Griffin lines out to centerfield. Two down.
• Horwitz walks.
• Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes is the only Pirates pitcher in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to strike out the side at least three times in a single game. The only major league pitcher to do that four times in a game since 1961 was Kerry Wood in his 20-strikeout game on May 6, 1998.
• Paid attendance: 13,516
• Ozuna strikes out swinging.
• Gonzales leads off the eighth with a book-rule double to left field.
• Tovar taps out weakly to Skenes. Easy 1-3 putout. Skenes walks off to a nice ovation. Eight scoreless for him.
• Castro pops out to left field. Two down.
• Johnston rips a double down the right field line. First time tonight a Rockie is in scoring position.
• Freeman grounds out to Griffin at shortstop. Nice play moving to his right.
• O'Hearn pops out to third. Another insurance run. Skenes is coming out to pitch the eighth.
• RUN: Bryan Reynolds hit a slow roller that stays in the infield, but it took Edouard Julien far too long to field it and throw it to get Reynolds out at first. Everyone moves up 90 feet while Konnor Griffin scores. Pirates, 3-0
• Lowe pops out in foul territory. Reynolds coming to the plate.
• Cruz pops one up into shallow left field near the foul line, but it falls just out of reach of McCarthy. Bases loaded, one out for Lowe.
• Davis walks.
• Griffin grounds into a fielder's choice. Horwitz out at second base. Griffin safe at first.
• Horwitz leads off the Pittsburgh seventh with a single hit up the middle.
• Rumfield flies out to center. Cruz covered a lot of ground to get there. Nice running catch. Skenes with just one hit allowed in seven scoreless innings. At 89 pitches, he might be done for the night. Stretch time.
• Goodman pops out to first base.
• Skenes' bid for a no-hitter comes to an end with one out in the seventh. Moniak flares a single out into left center. Valiant effort by Cruz to dive for it, but it was just out of reach.
• Julien grounds out to first.
• Ozuna also lines out to shortstop. Onto the seventh.
• Gonzales lines out sharply to shortstop.
• O'Hearn goes down looking.
• Seth Halvorsen is in to pitch for Colorado.
• McCarthy's caught looking at strike three. Third time tonight Skenes has struck out the side. He's at 77 pitches.
• Tovar down on strikes.
• Castro doesn't try to bunt this time. He strikes out swinging.
• Reynolds flies out to left. Pirates have a two-run lead heading into the sixth.
• RUN: Brandon Lowe drives in Oneil Cruz with a single into right field. The throw from Tyler Freeman was close, but Cruz slides in safely under the tag. Pirates, 2-0
• Cruz with another double. This one laced to left-center. Two down. Lowe coming to the plate.
• Davis grounds out to third base.
• Griffin grounds out to shortstop.
• Davis catches Johnston trying to steal. Inning over. Skenes has faced the minimum.
• Yeah, Skenes had to talk some trash to Castro -- rightfully so -- about laying down a bunt to snap the streak of six straight strikeouts to start the game:
• Skenes' bid for a perfect game is over. He hit Johnston with a pitch.
• Freeman grounds out to third base. Two down.
• Rumfield shatters his bat and grounds out to second. One down to start the Colorado fifth.
• Pirates also go down in order. Pitcher's duel going on here.
• Skenes retires the Colorado fourth in order. Again. Sheesh.
• O'Hearn down on strikes. Onto the fourth.
• Reynolds has a hit fall in front of Freeman in right field. Lowe is initially called out at second on the throw. Kelly challenges the play at second, but the call is confirmed. Two down.
• Pirates are out of ABS challenges. Reynolds loses the second challenge.
• Cruz goes down looking. Then Lowe walks.
• Tovar flies out to right field, then McCarthy grounds out to second. Skenes needed only four pitches in the third. He's at 33 pitches through three innings.
• Willi Castro bunts the first pitch Skenes offers in the third, snapping the streak of six straight strikeouts to start the game. Boos rain down from the modest crowd here at PNC Park.
• Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the only Pirates in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to strike out six or more straight batters to begin a game are Skenes (seven, May 17, 2024 at Cubs), Andrew Heaney (six, April 23, 2025 at Angels) and Skenes tonight.
• Davis looks at strike three. Onto the third.
• Horwitz leads off the Pittsburgh second with a single, but then Griffin grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.
• Down goes Johnston. Six straight. Unreal.
• Freeman offers at a sweeper. Five straight.
• Rumfield looks at a painted fastball low and away for strike three. Four straight strikeouts to start the game.
• Ozuna grounds out to third to end the first inning.
• RUN: Nick Gonzales doesn't do too much. Just takes a sinker on the inner half of the plate and shoots it the other way to drive in Oneil Cruz for the first run of the game. Pirates, 1-0
• O'Hearn barely beats out a 4-6-3 double play attempt. Runners on the corners for Gonzales. Two down.
• Reynolds walks.
• Lowe loses an early ABS challenge. He's caught looking at a slider that barely clipped the outside corner.
• Cruz leads off the game with a 112.5-mph laser hit over Moniak's head in center field for a double.
• Skenes gets Julien swinging on a splitter. Then gets Moniak swinging at a fastball. Then gets Goodman swinging at a fastball. Strikes out the side on 15 pitches. This guy is pretty good.
• FIRST PITCH: Paul Skenes delivers strike one to Edouard Julien and we're underway at PNC Park.
• Don Kelly's lineup:
1. Oneil Cruz, CF
2. Brandon Lowe, 2B
3. Bryan Reynolds, LF
4. Ryan O'Hearn, RF
5. Nick Gonzales, 3B
6. Marcell Ozuna, DH
7. Spencer Horwitz, 1B
8. Konnor Griffin, SS
9. Henry Davis, C
• Warren Schaeffer's lineup:
1. Edouard Julien, 2B
2. Mickey Moniak, CF
3. Hunter Goodman, C
4. TJ Rumfield, 1B
5. Tyler Freeman, RF
6. Troy Johnston, DH
7. Willi Castro, 3B
8. Ezequiel Tovar, SS
9. Jake McCarthy, LF
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