MLB should make certain that Pirates sensation Skenes is an All-Star (2024)

PITTSBURGH (TNS) — Major League Baseball made a terrible mistake by leaving rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg off the National League All-Star team in 2010. It best not repeat that mistake with Paul Skenes, even if Skenes would have among the fewest starts of any rookie pitcher in All-Star history.

Paul Goldschmidt and Brendan Donovan homered, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3. Lance Lynn went 4 1/3 innings, snapping a string of four straight quality starts by Cardinals pitchers. Lynn allowed three runs on four hits, walked three and struck out five. Chris Roycroft (1-0) earned his first major league decision as five different Cardinals relievers combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Andrew Kittredge earned his first save. Mitch Keller (8-4) allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings. Keller struck out four and walked none as the Pirates lost for the third time in their last four games.

Nolan Arenado and Iván Herrera each had three this, Sonny Gray pitched seven strong innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2. Arenado scored a run and drove in one while Herrera also scored a run. Brendan Donovan added two hits and an RBI. Gray (8-4) gave up one run and four hits while striking out nine and walking just one. Ryan Helsley gave up aa leadoff single in the ninth before finishing up for his major league-leading 22nd save. Bailey Falter (3-4) gave up three runs and eight hits in four innings to lose his second straight start.

Connor Joe and Oneil Cruz drove in ninth-inning runs, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Colin Holderman (2-0) gave up two hits but no runs in the eighth and David Bednar earned his 14th save by pitching the ninth despite giving up a leadoff home run to the Cardinals' Nolan Gorman. Both starters were splendid and neither gave up a run. The Cardinals' Miles Mikolas gave up one hit over seven innings, striking out six and walking one. He took a no-hitter into the seventh. Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes pitched 6 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits with eight strikeouts.

PITTSBURGH — Ben Cherington spent 15 minutes discussing the development of Nick Gonzales, the challenge of players transitioning from Triple-A to the major leagues and the mercurial nature of Oneil Cruz’s season on Saturday afternoon at PNC Park before the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager …

Manuel Margot hit an RBI triple to start a seven-run outburst in the 10th inning, and the Minnesota Twins ended a five-game losing streak with an 11-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Margot led off the 10th with a triple to center field off a cutter from Ben Heller, scoring automatic runner Kyle Farmer. Willi Castro was hit by a pitch for a second time in the game, bringing in another run with the bases loaded and no outs. Carlos Santana tacked on two more with a double to right ahead of a two-run single from Carlos Correa and another single from Max Kepler that made it 11-4. Heller, who plunked three batters, has an ERA of 49.50. Jhoan Durán worked a perfect ninth inning for the win.

Mitch Keller pitched six scoreless innings to win his sixth straight start, Oneil Cruz homered for a second consecutive night and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Minnesota Twins 3-0. Keller scattered seven hits while striking eight and walking two. He also pitched at least five innings for the 44th time in a row, the longest active streak in the major leagues. Connor Joe also homered for the Pirates. The Twins lost their fourth straight game.

Justin Bruihl is hoping to hit the reset button with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The left-handed reliever has joined the Pirates less than a week after opting out of his minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds. The 26-year-old Bruihl pitched well at Triple-A Louisville, going 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 19 appearances. But with his path to the majors with the Reds seemingly blocked, Bruihl bet on himself and became a free agent on June 1. The Pirates are looking for a second left-handed reliever to go with veteran Aroldis Chapman.

Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-7 to avoid a three-game sweep. Freeman hit a three-run shot in the first for his eighth home run of the season. Betts added a three-run shot of his own during a six-run fifth inning as Los Angeles beat the Pirates for just the sixth time in their last 16 meetings despite a relatively quiet night from Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese superstar went 1 for 5 with a run scored. Nick Gonzales and Oneil Cruz homered for Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH — Pardon me if I am confused about Major League Baseball’s stance on gambling.

Paul Skenes struck out eight over five innings, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitch in the majors this season and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-6. Skenes, a rookie, improved to 3-0 despite giving up Ohtani's 15th home run of the season. Skenes and Chapman combined to throw 28 pitches that reached triple digits. A seventh-inning heater from Chapman to Los Angeles' Teoscar Hernandez reached 104 mph, the fastest pitch in the majors this year. Nick Gonzales tied a career-high with four RBI for Pittsburgh.

Rookie Jared Jones pitched six shutout innings and Jack Suwinski homered after being called up from the minor leagues as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0. Jones (4-5) allowed three hits to the NL West-leading Dodgers while striking out six and walking three. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani went 1 for 4, striking out twice and grounding into a double play. Hours before the game, Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud in a Santa Ana, California, courtroom and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to pay off sports betting debts. The Dodgers lost for the second time in seven games. The Pirates had dropped four of their previous six games.

San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned from baseball for life for betting on the sport and four others were suspended for one year by Major League Baseball in the game’s biggest gambling scandal in decades. MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from last July through November with a legal sportsbook. He became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling. Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly was suspended for one year for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues and a three minor leaguers also were banned for one year for betting on big league games: pitchers Jay Groome of San Diego and Andrew Saalfrank of Arizona, and infielder José Rodríguez of Philadelphia.

Daniel Vogelbach had two hits and two RBIs, Chris Bassitt pitched five innings to remain unbeaten in five career starts against Pittsburgh and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pirates 5-4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider each had an RBI and Daulton Varsho scored twice as the Blue Jays took two of three from Pittsburgh. Yimi García pitched around Rody Tellez’s two-out RBI single in the ninth for his third save in four chances. Tellez reached base four times and drove in all four runs, but the Pirates lost for the fourth time in six.

Davis Schneider hit the winning two-run homer in the 14th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Pittsburgh 5-3 for their ninth straight win over the Pirates. Schneider’s seventh home run of the season came on the first pitch he saw from right-hander Kyle Nicolas. Génesis Cabrera pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win as the Blue Jays matched a season-best with their fourth straight victory. After Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th, Toronto tied it in the bottom half when George Springer hit a two-out RBI single.

DETROIT (TNS) — Little went right for manager Derek Shelton’s Pirates in the first game of their road doubleheader on Wednesday against the Tigers. Their rookie starter struggled, their bats were silenced and the forecast was unfavorable.

PITTSBURGH (TNS) — Four starts into his big league career, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes is still adjusting to the fame that comes with being one of the game’s most electric pitchers. But while he would prefer the attention strictly go toward what he achieves on the field, the…

Nick Gonzales drove in a career-high four runs and Bailey Falter carried a shutout into the eighth inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 11-5. Falter (3-2) had a 20-inning scoreless streak over three starts halted in the eighth when Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a three-run home, helping the Braves avoid their first shutout of the season. The 24-year-old left-hander allowed six hits, striking out four and walking one in his first victory since April 23. Edward Olivares had three of the Pirates’ 14 hits and Andrew McCutchen, Connor Joe and Gonzales had two apiece. Ray Kerr (1-1) was tagged for five runs and seven hits in four innings in his first major league start following 33 career relief appearances.

PITTSBURGH (TNS) — Isaac Mattson had never been more elated to cancel plans.

PITTSBURGH (TNS) — It’s about one play, really. That is the reason why so many Pirates fans cannot forgive Barry Bonds. It’s the reason some likely resent the fact that Bonds will join his old manager, Jim Leyland, and Manny Sanguillen in the team’s 2024 Hall of Fame class, as announced Tues…

Prized rookie Paul Skenes allowed one run over six solid innings but the San Francisco Giants rallied against the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen for a 7-6 win. Matt Chapman hit a three-run homer off Hunter Stratton in the eighth for San Francisco. Brett Wisely delivered a go-ahead single off Aroldis Chapman five batters later as the Giants overcame a big deficit for the second time in less than 24 hours. Skenes allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts in his third career start.

Patrick Bailey hit the first of three RBI singles in a four-run 10th inning, and the San Francisco Giants rallied from a five run deficit for a 9-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Bailey started with a single to right off Carmen Mlodzinski (0-1), scoring automatic runner Thairo Estrada, before Jorge Soler followed with one up the middle to bring in Matt Chapman. A sacrifice fly from Brett Wisely plated Bailey ahead of another RBI single from Luis Matos. Ryan Walker (4-2) struck out one in a perfect ninth for San Francisco.

Nick Gonzales’ run-scoring single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. Gonzales’ leadoff hit up the middle off Erik Miller (0-2) scored automatic runner Connor Joe from second base and ended the Giants’ season-high four-game winning streak. The Pirates have won four of their last five games. The Pirates scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 6-all and pin Camilo Doval with his first blown save in nine opportunities this season.

CHICAGO (TNS) — When Jameson Taillon drove to Wrigley Field for Friday’s game against his former team, one featuring Paul Skenes’ first road start, he couldn’t help but reflect on his own path with the Pirates.

Mitch Keller pitched six effective innings, Nick Gonzales hit a key two-run single and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2. Jack Suwinski connected for another homer against Jameson Taillon as Pittsburgh closed out a 4-3 road trip by taking three of four from Chicago. Gonzales, Andrew McCutchen and Jared Triolo each had two of the Pirates’ 10 hits. Keller improved to 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three May starts. Seiya Suzuki and Christopher Morel each hit a sacrifice fly for Chicago.

CHICAGO (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out 11 over six no-hit innings in his second major league start, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 on Friday.

Edward Olivares and Nick Gonzales homered, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4. Olivares hit a two-run homer in the first inning. He also doubled and scored in the sixth against Cubs starter Justin Steele. Gonzales hit a solo drive in the fourth, and Jared Jones threw six solid innings. Colin Holderman gave up a sacrifice fly to Christopher Morel in the eighth, but the Pirates opened the four-game series on a winning note after losing six of eight. They dropped two of three to the Cubs in Pittsburgh over the weekend.

William Contreras went 3 for 5 with four RBIs and hit one of Milwaukee’s five homers off Martín Pérez in the Brewers’ 10-2 blowout of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The NL Central-leading Brewers won two of three from the Pirates before beginning a season-long, nine-game trip Friday at Houston. Gary Sánchez, Sal Frelick, Joey Ortiz and Jackson Chourio also homered off Pérez. The Brewers tied a franchise record for homers off a single pitcher in one game. Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen went 3 for 4, homered and scored both the Pirates’ runs.

PITTSBURGH — Catcher Roberto Perez, who was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates to replace Jacob Stallings this past offseason, suffered a hamstring injury while running the bases on May 7 and on Thursday, Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk announced that Perez will have surgery o…

PITTSBURGH (TNS) - Dillon Peters' Pirates debut probably didn't carry the same weight as some others this year.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Six St. Louis relievers combined to allow three runs in seven innings, Paul DeJong and Lars Nootbaar homered, and the Cardinals hung on to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 on Thursday, completing a three-game sweep.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Adam Wainwright extended his dominance of Pittsburgh with a complete game, two-hit shutout and helped himself with a pair of hits as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pirates 4-0 on Wednesday night.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - J.A. Happ combined with a trio of relievers on a one-hitter, Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong homered early and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the skidding Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Tuesday night.

CINCINNATI (AP) - Mike Moustakas went 3 for 4 with three doubles and two RBIs in his return from the injured list to spark the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

CINCINNATI (TNS) - Over the past seven weeks, while the Pirates bullpen had struggled to find traction, Wil Crowe began to take his season in a different direction, showing signs of consistent production.

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez launched a three-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning to put the Milwaukee Brewers ahead for good in a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Eduardo Escobar hit a three-run homer and an RBI triple to back up Eric Lauer's five shutout innings in the Milwaukee Brewers' 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Kyle Gibson pitched into the seventh inning in his Phillies debut and got plenty of support as Philadelphia avoided a series sweep by pounding the Pittsburgh Pirates 15-4 on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Wil Crowe and two relief pitchers combined on a one-hitter, and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Manny Pia hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs as the Milwaukee Brewers routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 on Thursday night.