Paul Skenes pitched into the eighth inning and Andrew McCutchen hit a clutch go-ahead single as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep at PNC Park.
Skenes, 23, was electric again, lowering his ERA to.88 after allowing just one unearned run on two hits with seven strikeouts over 2/3 innings. He exited to a standing ovation, handing the ball to Braxton Ashcraft, who secured the final four outs for his first major league win.
The Pirates took an early lead with Jared Triolo’s RBI double in the second, but the Phillies tied it in the third. The game remained deadlocked until the eighth, when Oneil Cruz drew a walk and McCutchen’s broken-bat single to right brought Cruz home after a daring dash around third.
Ashcraft closed the door in the ninth, forcing a game-ending double play from Alec Bohm. The loss extended the Phillies’ skid to five straight, while the Pirates improved to 25-40 and look to carry momentum into their upcoming series against the Marlins.
With Skenes in top form and veterans like McCutchen stepping up, the Pirates’ next moves could shape the rest of their season.
