Every start Paul Skenes makes for the Pittsburgh Pirates has become a must-see event, so it took something special to eclipse his eight-strikeout performance in front of a sold-out crowd at PNC Park.
Bryan Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez had exactly the answer.
Both hit two home runs and grand slams to power the Pirates to a 14-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night in front of 37,037 fans, the first sellout since the home opener against Baltimore on April 5.
The Pirates turned in their most complete performance and most lopsided victory of the season, matching their season high with 16 hits and hitting seven home runs for just the fifth time in franchise history.
“It was a great offensive game for us. I think we can build on that and keep the momentum going, just keep being strong for the rest of the season,” Reynolds said, noting Skenes’ run support. “I don’t think he’s a guy that needs 14 points. I guess we’re trying to make up for lost time.”
Skenes (5-0) shined, striking out seven or more in his seventh straight game and nine of 10 starts, setting an MLB record for such outings in a player’s debut career. Defensively, the Pirates turned three double plays to end an inning against a Mets team that had won 20 of its previous 30 games.
“They’re maybe the fittest team in baseball, so going into the game we know we have to be pretty perfect,” Skenes said. “Being able to get that ground support early in the game to keep the game close and then later in the game definitely makes the pitching job easier for all of us.”
Reynolds had 4 hits in 5 at-bats and tied his career high with six RBIs. Michael A. Taylor had 4 hits in 4 at-bats and was one of five Pirates players to hit a home run, joining Tellez, Reynolds, Jack Suwinski and Yasmani Grandal.
The Pirates capitalized on another remarkable start from Skenes, as the 6-foot-6, 260-pound rookie right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while throwing 107 pitches in seven innings.
Skenes went through the first inning with 10 pitches, finishing with a punchout after making Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez look at a called third strike on a 99.5 mph four-seam fastball.
Pete Alonso led off the second with a single to left field, and DJ Stewart drew a full-count walk before Skenes got Francisco Alvarez to hit a splinker for a strikeout, then got Jose Iglesias to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to leave both runners on the ground.
Jeff McNeil hit an 0-2 fastball 390 feet to right field for a home run in the top of the third inning to give the Mets a 1-0 lead, marking the third straight start in which Skenes has given up a solo home run.
With one out, Francisco Lindor reached base on a throwing error by second baseman Nick Gonzales, and Skenes walked Brandon Nimmo on four pitches. But Skenes got Martinez to line out to Tellez, who threw to second base to turn a double play and end the rally.
The Mets added another run in the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead. Alonso capped a 10-pitch at-bat with a double off right fielder Joshua Palacios, reached third base on Stewart’s flyout to right and scored when Iglesias hit a forceout to second but beat the double-play throw.
The Pirates responded with back-to-back home runs by Tellez and Suwinski in the fourth inning. Tellez hit Luis Severino’s 1-1 changeup 426 feet to right-center field for a leadoff home run, his sixth of the season and fourth in eight games. Suwinski hit Severino’s first-pitch fastball 394 feet to right-center field for his eighth home run to tie the game.
That seemed to set off Skenes, who struck out Harrison Bader on a full-count slider, flew Lindor to center and Nimmo hit a 99.1 mph fastball for a 1-2-3 fifth inning.
The Pirates had two runners in scoring position with no outs in the bottom of the fifth inning after Taylor led off with a single and Palacios drew a four-pitch walk and both runners advanced on a throw from Severino to second base. Severino intercepted Taylor at third base to save a run, but Reynolds sent a 2-2 fastball over the zone 399 feet to right for his 15th home run and a 4-2 Pirates lead.
“It was a big game because it was a two-strike game,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “You’ve got a second and a third with no backup, a little bit of a letdown there. For him to come right back and get us on the board, I think that was really important. I think it changed the whole dynamic of the game.”
After Skenes saw Martinez and Alonso called for third strikes in a 1-2-3 sixth inning, he finished the outing in style. Despite throwing 93 pitches, Shelton sent Skenes out for the seventh. Skenes got back-to-back outs at third base, though the Mets challenged that Iglesias beat Ke’Bryan Hayes’ throw to first base and the call was overturned.
When McNeil batted to right, the crowd rose to its feet and cheered Skenes as he was called for striking Bader with a fastball and a curveball. Bader went down chasing a slider to end the inning. Skenes turned and smacked his glove in celebration and received a standing ovation as he left the field.
The excitement in the stadium only intensified when Yasmani Grandal led off the game with a double and Taylor followed with his third single. Palacios drew another four-pitch walk to load the bases for Reynolds, who sent a 2-2 fastball over the 413-foot zone to center field for his third career grand slam and second of the season.
Reynolds hit a home run in back-to-back games for the third time this season and is now one home run away from tying Bobby Bonilla’s franchise record of 114 home runs by a two-handed hitter.
Grandal and Taylor hit back-to-back home runs in the six-run eighth inning. Palacios and Reynolds followed with singles and Cruz walked to load the bases for Tellez, who crushed a 2-1 slider 403 feet into the bullpen for another slam and a 12-run lead.
The Pirates were happy to give the sold-out crowd what they wanted.
“They were in it the whole game,” Shelton said. “You could feel the energy in the stadium tonight. They were in it. Even at the end of the game, when it was 14-2, they were still standing. You get situations like that where the crowd leaves, and they were all there cheering. I thought that was really cool.”
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
News Source : triblive.com
Gn sports
