The Pirates fell in extra innings for the second straight night and wasted another dominant Paul Skenes start Wednesday at Camden Yards in Baltimore, as reliever Kyle Nicolas gave up a bases-loaded single to Orioles right fielder Dylan Beavers in the 10th inning for a 2-1 loss.
The Pirates offense tallied just two hits and scored two or fewer runs for the fifth straight game, which have all been losses.
Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz hit his eighth home run of the season in the fourth inning, sending a 2-2 cutter at the bottom of the zone 386 feet over the right-field wall for a 1-0 lead.
Orioles starter Tyler Wells hadn’t allowed a hit up to that point and struck out four of the first 10 batters he faced while utilizing 41 pitches.
Skenes did his job, delivering five shutout innings with 64 pitches, 43 for strikes. He allowed two hits and struck out eight while walking none.
Despite giving up a double to Beavers in the third inning, Skenes never ran into trouble. He erased designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle in the second with a 4-6-3 double play and stranded Beavers at second with a strikeout and groundout.
With that strikeout — his fifth of the outing — Skenes became the second-youngest Pirates pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in a season. He sat down Orioles first baseman Coby Mayo with a 2-2 sweeper near the bottom of the zone. Southpaw Oliver Perez is the youngest Pirates pitcher to accomplish the feat, striking out 239 batters at the age of 22 in 2004.
Skenes, who sits at 203 strikeouts, has an opportunity to surpass Mitch Keller’s franchise record for the most (210) in a season by a right-hander. Left-hander Bob Veale struck out 250 in 1964 to set the Pirates’ franchise mark.
Through 30 starts, Skenes leads the major leagues in ERA (1.92), is second in WHIP (0.86), third in strikeouts (203) and fifth in innings pitched (178), further solidifying his case for the National League Cy Young award. He still has an opportunity to improve his chances as the Pirates have 16 games remaining, meaning Skenes could make three more starts.
Wells, who made just his second start of the season after undergoing elbow surgery in 2024, kept the Pirates off balance. He retired the first 10 batters he faced and allowed one hit and walk while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings. Horwitz’s home run was the only mistake he made.
While battling a light rain in the later innings, Pirates reliever Carmen Mlodzinski worked two innings and didn’t allow a hit while recording two walks and two strikeouts. He did receive some defensive help as catcher Henry Davis threw out Beavers in the sixth and second baseman Nick Yorke made a diving stop in the seventh.
However, that was when things started to swing in the Orioles’ favor.
After escaping an extra-inning, bases-loaded jam Tuesday, Pirates reliever Isaac Mattson gave up back-to-back singles to start the eighth before second baseman Jackson Holliday smacked a tying single into left field.
Mattson, who threw 15 straight fastballs a night ago, challenged Holliday with three fastballs on the outer half before going to his changeup, which Holliday poked past shortstop Jared Triolo.
The Pirates were shut down in extra innings. After starting on second base in the 10th inning, Oneil Cruz moved to third on a wild pitch from reliever Albert Suárez. However, the Pirates weren’t able to capitalize as third baseman Cam Devanney finished his 0-for-4 night with his third strikeout before left fielder Ji Hwan Bae grounded out to Suárez on the mound.
Nicolas started the bottom half of the frame with a walk and a single before Beavers ended it with a single down the right-field line.
Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo will take the mound Thursday and looks to end his team’s five-game losing streak in the finale of its three-game set against the Orioles.