Paul Skenes starts, Oneil Cruz homers again as Pirates beat Reds, earn first series win

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Apr 1, 2026

Published in Baseball

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CINCINNATI — After an atypical opening day start, Paul Skenes was looking for a return to his typical self.

He did that Wednesday afternoon, throwing five innings of one-run ball to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 8-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The win earned the Pirates their first series victory of the season and sent them into Friday’s home opener with a .500 record.

Oneil Cruz continued his momentum from his two-homer game Tuesday, scoring twice and going 2 for 5 with a three-run homer in the first inning against Reds lefty Andrew Abbott. He had two hits against Abbott and is now 5 for 7 (.714) with two homers against lefties this season after going 11 for 108 (.102) with one homer against lefties last year.

The Pirates broke it open in the top of the ninth. Ahead 4-3 and facing Reds closer Emilio Pagan, Nick Gonzales hit a two-run single, followed immediately by a two-run blast from Bryan Reynolds. Reynolds’ homer, the 140th of his career, broke a tie with Jason Bay and moved him into ninth place all time in Pirates franchise history.

Skenes looked comfortable for much of the game. The lone run scored by the Reds came in the fourth, when Elly De La Cruz led off with a single, the Reds’ first hit of the game. He scored from second on Nathaniel Lowe’s double.

The run ended Skenes’ stretch of 31 consecutive scoreless innings against the Reds. It’s the fourth-longest streak by a Pirate against a single opponent since 1961.

The Reds made it close late, at least going into the ninth. Skenes was pulled after just 77 pitches, potentially a consequence of a long top of the sixth, forecasted rain and throwing just 37 in his first start, and Mason Montgomery swiftly gave up a two-run, second-deck shot to pinch-hitter Eugenio Suarez.

But Isaac Mattson and Justin Lawrence kept a one-run Pirates lead safe until the top of the ninth, when Gonzales and Reynolds clinched the contest.

It was over when ...

Gregory Soto pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, ending the game with a strikeout. He was warming even before it was no longer a save situation.

On the mound

Skenes allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out five.

He wasn’t at his most dominant, but he was still effective. He surely would have gone longer in a more traditional situation.

At the plate

Both Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn didn’t play Wednesday, but Cruz, Gonzales and Reynolds each picked up the slack with multiple hits.

Gonzales doubled in the second and went 2 for 5 with two RBIs. Nick Yorke, making a start at third as Gonzales slid to second, went 1 for 2 with two walks. Spencer Horwitz went 1 for 3 with a bases-loaded walk in the seventh, bringing in what ended up as the deciding run.

Most valuable player

Cruz, who again showed why he’s so important to the Pirates.

Up next

The Pirates are off Thursday before the home opener on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles. Mitch Keller (0-0, 0.00) will start against Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish (0-1, 3.86). The game, which will start at 4:12 p.m. ET.

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