Skenes strikes out 7 in debut, Pirates hit 5 homers in 10-9 victory...

Source: Daily Mail Online

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Paul Skenes struck out seven over four-plus innings in his major league debut and Yasmani Grandal hit a go-ahead three-run homer as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 10-9 on Saturday.

Skenes, the top overall pick in the 2023 draft, showed flashes of why he is considered perhaps the best pitching prospect in a generation. The 21-year-old - who was greeted by a standing ovation by most of the near-capacity crowd including girlfriend Livvy Dunne - reached 100 mph on 17 of his 84 pitches.

He was electric at times but hardly perfect. Skenes allowed at least one runner in every inning he started - including a solo homer by Nico Hoerner in the fourth - and was pulled after allowing a pair of hits leading off the fifth. He was charged with three runs on six hits with two walks and a hit batter.

Pittsburgh's bullpen imploded immediately after Skenes' exit, allowing Chicago to score seven runs to take the lead, with six coming on walks with the bases loaded, most of them on counts that weren't even competitive.

Pirates relievers Kyle Nicolas, Josh Fleming and Colin Holderman threw 26 balls in a span of 31 pitches sandwiched around a 2-hour, 20-minute rain delay in the top of the fifth.

The Pirates' offense, stagnant for most of the last month, picked up the slack.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, making his major league debut, delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Grandal's first home run with the Pirates - a shot to the seats above the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field off Keegan Thompson (1-1) - put Pittsburgh back in front in the bottom of the fifth.

Connor Joe, Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen and Michael A. Taylor also homered as Pittsburgh snapped a three-game losing streak. The Pirates' 10 runs were a season-high. Cruz, McCutchen, Taylor and Grandal had two hits each for Pittsburgh.

Holderman (1-0) earned the win. David Bednar allowed Michael Tauchman's sacrifice fly in the ninth but got Cody Bellinger to fly out to deep right field with the tying run on third to pick up his seventh save.

Miles Mastrobuoni had three hits for the Cubs. Tauchman and Seiya Suzuki added two hits apiece for Chicago.

Cubs starter Justin Steele, who had been sharp in his return from a left hamstring strain on Monday against San Diego, wasn't quite as crisp this time around. He allowed six runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in four innings.

Joe and Cruz hit back-to-back homers off Steele in the third and Taylor added a two-run shot in the fourth as Pittsburgh raced to a 6-1 lead that seemed to put Skenes in position to pick up his first victory.

That day will have to wait.

Cubs: Placed RHP Yency Almonte on the 15-day injured list with a strained right shoulder. Chicago recalled RHP Jose Cuas from Triple-A Iowa to take Almonte's place on the roster. ... 3B Chris Morel exited after five innings with right knee soreness.

Pirates: Placed 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes to the 10-day injured list with low back inflammation and recalled INF Alika Williams from Triple-A Indianapolis. Hayes had sat out each of Pittsburgh's last two games in hopes of a quick turnaround but the team opted to give the Gold Glove winner more time to rest.

The series wraps up on Sunday. Bailey Falter (2-2, 4.34 ERA) will start for Pittsburgh. The Cubs had yet to announce a starter as of Saturday evening.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes delivers the first pitch in his major league career to Chicago Cubs Mike Tauchman in the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Yasmani Grandal watches his three-run home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Connor Joe, right, celebrates with Andrew McCutchen (22) after hitting a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

From left to right, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitchers Quinn Priester, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and Paul Skenes stand in the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. The game was Skenes' major league debut. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Yasmani Grandal celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Yasmani Grandal, right, is greeted by third base coach Mike Rabelo (58) as Grandal rounds third on a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Yasmani Grandal runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson (71) during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner, right, is greeted by Michael Busch (29) as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner, top, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz, right, crosses home plate in front of Chicago Cubs catcher Yan Gomes, left, after hitting a solo home run off Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Connor Joe, left, celebrates with Andrew McCutchen (22) after hitting a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)