Pirates lose eighth consecutive Paul Skenes start despite Konnor Griffin's leadoff homer

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 26, 2026

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — Despite Konnor Griffin’s best efforts, Paul Skenes’ personal losing skid reached eight.

Griffin homered in his first swing off the injured list, but Skenes allowed four runs in the second inning and Mason Montgomery allowed a go-ahead, two-run Noelvi Marte homer in the eighth as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pirates, 6-4, on Friday night at PNC Park.

Skenes, who received a no-decision Friday, is 0-5 with a 4.40 ERA in his last eight starts (43 innings). The last Pirate starter to see his team lose in eight consecutive outings was Johan Oviedo in June and July of 2023.

The 24-year-old right-hander allowed four runs on six hits and two walks in five innings. All the damage against him came in the second, when the Reds started the inning with four consecutive hits, added two sacrifice flies and batted around in an inning where Skenes threw 38 pitches.

It was a rare inning where Skenes looked not just mortal, but entirely hittable. But Skenes found more typical stuff, then his teammates picked him up.

Skenes retired nine of the final 10 hitters he faced, including five strikeouts, to make it through five innings. He left trailing 4-1. His final strikeout was the 500th of his career, reaching the milestone in fewer starts than any pitcher in Pirates history.

The Pirates got a run back without a hit in the bottom of the fifth. Henry Davis reached second on Eugenio Suarez’s throwing error, then advanced to third and home on flyouts. Marcell Ozuna and Esmerlyn Valdez chased Reds lefty Andrew Abbott with two homers in three batters, tying the game.

But Montgomery allowed a single to Sal Stewart in the eighth before Marte followed with a pinch-hit, two-run blast to give the Reds the lead for good.

It was over when …

… the Pirates couldn’t scrap a run in the eighth. Ozuna led off with a walk, then Valdez reached with a liner off right-hander Pierce Johnson’s leg. However, Nick Gonzales struck out and Jake Mangum grounded out to strand the tying run on first.

On the mound

Skenes threw 56 pitches in the first two innings and needed 96 through five, throwing 66 strikes. He had just 13 whiffs. His ERA is now 3.10.

Skenes had allowed just two earned runs in six career starts (34 innings) against the Reds before Friday’s game. He allowed four in the second inning alone.

Skenes and three relievers combined to retire 13 batters in a row before Montgomery allowed the single. The Pirates bullpen had thrown 11 2/3 scoreless innings until Marte’s homer.

At the plate

Griffin went 2 for 4 with the homer, a single and a hit by pitch in his first game since returning from a right forearm flexor strain. Ozuna went 2 for 3 with a walk.

Bryan Reynolds extended his hitting streak to 16 games and his on-base streak to 31 with a third inning infield single.

Bucs bites

— With Griffin back, Don Kelly said Gonzales will see more reps at third base than Jared Triolo. Triolo started Friday with the lefty Abbott on the mound, as Triolo entered Friday with a .757 OPS against lefties this year to Gonzales’ .574.

— Wilber Dotel is nearing a rehab assignment, although Kelly did not specify pregame when that would begin.

Up next

The Pirates will look to rebound against the Reds at 4:05 p.m. Saturday with Jared Jones (1-1, 5.75 ERA) on the mound. The Reds will counter with right-hander Chase Burns (9-1, 2.00), in the midst of a breakout campaign.