Pirates bullpen and defense collapse again in 4th consecutive defeat

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jul 31, 2026

Published in Baseball

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CINCINNATI — The worst month of Paul Skenes’ career ended in the fourth inning in Cincinnati.

A nightmare loss had only just begun.

Skenes was charged with five earned runs for the second consecutive start, but the Pirates rallied back to take a two-run lead in the eighth. What followed was a bullpen collapse and a game-deciding error, as the Pirates lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 8-7, on Friday night at Great American Ball Park.

The reeling Pirates have lost four in a row right before the trade deadline. They are 55-56, under .500 for the first time since July 3. They have now blown 20 saves.

The Pirates had a 7-5 lead in the eighth when Wilber Dotel came in to face 8-9-1 in the Reds order. Dotel allowed two singles to start the inning, struck out Elly De La Cruz, then allowed a game-tying, two-run single to first baseman Sal Stewart.

Mason Montgomery was brought in to keep the game tied. He did so, getting a routine groundout. After an intentional walk, Nathaniel Lowe hit a grounder right at Nick Gonzales that Gonzales caught, double clutched, then threw to Brandon Lowe at second instead of the easier play at first.

The throw was at Lowe, but Lowe couldn’t come up with it, allowing the game-winning run to score.

The Pirates went quietly in the ninth against closer Emilio Pagan. Ryan O’Hearn suffered what looked like another left quad injury trying to beat out a routine grounder.

Skenes was charged with five runs on seven hits and four walks in four innings. He threw 100 pitches.

The Pirates gave Skenes two runs to work with in the top of the first. O’Hearn beat out what would have been an inning-ending groundout when Stewart and pitcher Hunter Greene failed to get to the bag, then Gonzales had a two-out, two-run single. The hit extended Gonzales’ hitting streak to 15 games.

But Skenes couldn’t hold it. He allowed two two-out runs of his own in the first, then JJ Bleday’s leadoff homer in the third. He gutted through a 36-pitch first inning, threw 31 more in the third (and stranded the bases loaded), then allowed two more in the fourth on an De La Cruz triple and a next-pitch Stewart home run.

Skenes finished six July starts with a 6.25 ERA (22 runs in 31 2/3 frames.

Antwone Kelly pitched three scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

It was over when …

Lowe’s error occurred. Endy Rodriguez challenged the final pitch, but it nicked the zone.

On the mound

Dotel was the right choice for the eighth inning with two right-handers due up. His loss only magnified the Pirates’ need for a right-handed reliever.

At the plate

The Pirates scratched together five singles in the eighth against Caleb Ferguson and Pierce Johnson, including RBI singles from Henry Davis, Jake Mangum and Lowe.

Mangum went 2 for 5 with a third inning home run, a walk, a stolen base and the RBI single.

Bucs bites

— Before the game, the Pirates optioned left-hander Hunter Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis and recalled Kelly. The move was made for bullpen depth, as Barco threw 72 pitches on Thursday night.

— Evan Sisk (left elbow inflammation) will require at least one more rehab appearance in Indianapolis before returning to the Pirates, Don Kelly said.

— Both Rafael Flores and Spencer Horwitz seem to be progressing from their respective concussions. While Kelly did not offer an update, Flores ran the bases prior to the game and Horwitz took grounders.

Up next

The Pirates and Reds will play the third game of their four-game series on Saturday at 6:40 p.m., if the weather cooperates. Rain is in the forecast for a matchup expected to feature Braxton Ashcraft (10-4, 4.05) against Reds lefty Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.85).