Paul Skenes ends his season with his 200th strikeout, helping the Pirates to win No. 81

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sep 24, 2026

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes could’ve ended his season in the sixth inning with a groundout. He left to warm applause.

Then, it seemed, came a realization. Yohan Ramirez was ready, but Skenes was one strikeout away from 200 for the season.

So Skenes came back for the seventh. He fell behind St. Louis designated hitter Leo Bernal, then threw two fastballs down the middle of the plate for the strikeout. Don Kelly was booed as he came out to get Skenes. Skenes, once again, received an ovation from the PNC Park crowd.

And so ended Skenes’ 2026 season, with a quality start but a no decision in the Pirates’ 2-1 win on Thursday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals. The win was the Pirates’ 81st of the season, clinching, at worst, a .500 year.

Skenes allowed just three hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out eight. After Alec Burleson’s homer in the first inning, Skenes was in control throughout.

He became the first Pirate to strike out 200 batters in consecutive seasons since Bob Veale in 1964 and 1965.

Skenes had his strikeout stuff early, with six in the first three innings he threw. Three of his six punchouts came via his changeup. Through three innings on 39 pitches, it seemed he’d cruise to the record.

Then came a 31-pitch, two-walk fourth that ballooned his pitch count to 70. Two long at-bats and spotty command put his outing in doubt, but he got out of it without damage.

The Pirates scored a run in the first, then broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth. In the first, Oneil Cruz doubled, stole third, then scored on Brandon Lowe’s opposite-field single. In the eighth, Ronny Simon walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third when catcher Ivan Herrera’s throw went into center field, then scored on Spencer Horwitz’s sacrifice fly.

Skenes retired the final seven batters he faced. Ramirez, Gregory Soto, Luke Weaver and Mason Montgomery finished the game, with Weaver earning the win and Montgomery pitching a 25th consecutive scoreless appearance for the save.

Bucs bites

• Prior to the game, the Pirates optioned right-hander Khristian Curtis and recalled lefty Evan Sisk. Curtis was not expected to pitch again this season after throwing 71 pitches on Wednesday night.

• Right-hander Camilo Doval was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants, the team with which he started his career and had his greatest success. Doval was designated for assignment on Tuesday.

• Potato Pete and Jalapeno Hannah entered the home finale tied with 18 victories apiece in the Pierogi Race. In a two-pierogi runoff, Pete narrowly beat Hannah to claim the season championship.

Up next

The Pirates head to Detroit for their final series of the year. Bubba Chandler (8-9, 4.34 ERA) will face Detroit Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe (2-3, 3.98) in the opener, starting Friday at 6:40 p.m. The game will be televised on SportsNet Pittsburgh and broadcast on the radio on 93.7 The Fan.

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