FRANK JANSKY / GETTY

Paul Skenes gets an ovation as he leaves the field following the seventh inning Saturday at PNC Park.

On a day in which fans were lined across the Sixth Street Bridge and all the way toward Acrisure Stadium in an effort to secure Paul Skenes’ limited edition bobblehead, the Pirates were plagued by squandered opportunities on the field. 

Hitters failed to come up with timely hits, resulting in a dreadful 0-for-8 showing with runners in scoring position, and another strong start by Skenes was wasted, as the Pirates suffered a 3-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Guardians in front of a sellout crowd of 37,713 at PNC Park. 

"Our goal is to win games. Losing sucks," said Ke'Bryan Hayes, who had one hit in four at-bats and helped account for the offensive struggles by going 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position. "Just wanting to win games, win series. That's what it's going to take to get where we need to be at. It sucks whenever you lose."

The day started with long lines to get into the ballpark, not only for a chance to receive a treasured memento recognizing Skenes' 2024 National League Rookie of the Year honor, but to also watch Skenes do what he does on a start-by-start basis, which is showcasing a skill set that proves he's well worth both the price of admission and atmospheres like these: 

Skenes achieved what he needed to in scattering two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts over seven quality innings. He threw 68 of 103 pitches for strikes and didn't have his best put-away stuff, relying on timely ground ball outs and double plays to help preserve his pitch count and get out of innings. But, as is the job for any ace, he gave his team a chance to win. 

The offense didn't do its part, and as the innings passed by, the excitement for an afternoon of rare giveaways and baseball turned into disappointment and frustration. By the seventh inning, after Skenes allowed a solo home run to Kyle Manzardo, the frequently-heard "SELL-THE-TEAM" chants began to pick up steam. It began an inning after the offense stranded the bases loaded via a Tommy Pham inning-ending double play and continued in the eighth after Caleb Ferguson allowed a run to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jose Ramirez following two walks and a single allowed to Steven Kwan. 

"Anytime you don't put any runs up, it sucks, when you get shut out," Hayes said. "(Skenes) pitched well. He's not going to be perfect and not give up any runs every time so it's our job to score runs. Whenever he's able to keep it, especially when he goes over five, six innings and he keeps it right there at two runs, got to find a way."

Skenes heard the fans voicing their displeasure and didn't mince words when asked about it postgame.

"They care," he said. "We've gotta play better."

Skenes certainly gets it. He understands the frustration from the fan base and is accountable when the team doesn't meet their expectations. He was the main reason they even had a chance on this day, though. He's the reason they have a chance on most days actually. He does his part and has continuously been let down by the guys tasked with providing offensive support. 

In Skenes' five starts this season, the Pirates have averaged 4.2 runs on seven hits per game. Not awful numbers there. They scored three-plus runs in support of him through his first three starts and had a 10-run outburst in his last start against the Nationals, but this latest shutout brought back memories of last year when Skenes did frequently experience a lack of support. Plus, the group is hitting just .222 when he's on the mound, not exactly a recipe for success, especially when the team has achieved victory in just two of his five starts. 

"We're just not executing at a high enough level and as consistently as we need to, to win these games," Skenes said. "I don't think it's a clubhouse thing. Everybody likes each other. But positive feelings, friendships and all that don't win championships. We gotta figure it out."

Skenes isn't one to point fingers. He knows that it's his job to navigate his way through opposing lineups with the least amount of pitches possible and simply get outs. So, when the offense generates just six hits and leaves six runners on base like they did on this day, again squandering any opportunity that stands right in front of them, Skenes has no other choice but to maintain the same focus he usually operates with. 

"It doesn't change a whole lot to be honest. I've played in a lot of 1-0 games. At the end of the day, I gotta go out there and get outs, put up zeroes," Skenes said. "The score doesn't affect that, really. That's not really where my mind is at. I guess looking back, the margin for error isn't super big, but at the end of the day, whether it's 10-0 or 1-0, it's about putting up zeroes." 

Skenes found joy in being able to pitch in front of a full ballpark, one that gave him quite the ovation both when he took the field prior to the game and when he exited following the conclusion of the seventh inning. It was quite the scene. It's a shame that missed opportunities and the undesirable outcome put a damper on an otherwise special day on the North Shore. 

"It's cool," Skenes said of the atmosphere. "Wish we would've gotten the win."