Pirates tie HR record, Skenes wins in blowout

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – This time it seemed like it was the offense that got Paul Skenes going rather than the Pirates rookie’s dominance inspiring the team. Skenes gained momentum as the game continued as the Pirates tied a team record with seven home runs in a 14-2 win Friday night against the Mets.

Skenes had struggled early compared to the high bar he set in nine previous MLB starts. New York had multiple base runners in the second, third and fourth innings scoring a pair of runs and leading 2-0 with veteran Luis Severino on the mound.

That’s when the offense changed the game.

Coming into Friday night, the Pirates were one of the worst teams hitting home runs, but hammered three in the span of eight batters. A 425-foot, 107.8 exit velocity shot to right center by Rowdy Tellez that got the Pirates on the board, followed two batters later by Jack Suwinski ’s liner over the Clemente Wall to tie it in the fourth inning.

Following a base running gaff from Michael A. Taylor getting picked off third base with no outs in the fifth, Reynolds had his back hitting a pitch 105.8 miles an hour over the right- center wall and the Pirates took a first lead 4-2.

Skenes took over from there striking out four of the next five and ended his outing in the seventh inning with a third strikeout of Harrison Bader. On the night, in his 10th MLB start, Skenes threw 107 pitches in seven innings, allowing four hits, two runs, two walks and eight strikeouts. Skenes now has seven or more strikeouts in seven consecutive games, matching a franchise record.

"I mean, these guys, they might be the hottest team in baseball," Skenes said. "So, going into the game, we knew we got to be pretty perfect. So, being able to get that run support early in the game to keep it close. And then later in the game definitely makes it easier to pitch for all of us."

"We played well," said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. "We played well throughout the whole game. Paul threw the ball really well and then at the end, really consistent at bats, big at bats early to take the lead after the first couple innings but we played really well."

Reynolds huge night

Reynolds has warmed up as the weather has, after hitting .330 with 15 extra base hits in June, the former Pirates All-Star homered for the second time in the game, a grand slam in the seventh to put it away.
·     6th career multi-home run game
·     3rd career 6 RBI game
·     3 homers in the last 2 days
·     Reynolds leads the Pirates with 16 HR and 54 RBI, which moves him into the top 10 in the National League in both categories.

“It’s just one of those days where it works out for you," Reynolds said. "I made some mid-at-bat adjustments on the left-handed ones.”

"Well to answer your question earlier, I hope the All-Star voting didn't shut down yet with Bryan Reynolds, because that was pretty impressive," Shelton said. "I hope it's still going."

Gettin' Rowdy

The Bucs were just getting started as they would add three more team home runs capped by a second-career Tellez grand slam in the eighth inning and first Pirates multi-homer game driving in five runs.

"I think we've been playing well," Tellez said. "I think you have these nights like this and you want to feed of 'em, but you're playing good, those are things that just come along. We had a tough one against the Cardinals and Atlanta, but prior to that, I think our month of June, we played really well. I think we're playing good ball. Just need to build off that this four-game series. Just got to take it game by game. But it's a good way to start a series."

Tellez has three homers this month, hitting .444. Also in the eighth, Yasmani Grandal and Taylor homered in back-to-back fashion.

Joshua Palacios led off and walked twice, scoring twice along with a single in his first MLB game of the season.

Crowd

Players also reacted to the second sellout crowd of the season, officially 37.037 at PNC Park.

“It was rocking," Reynolds said. "They were locked in from the beginning and got super loud when they needed to. We definitely fed off it, for sure.”

"It was awesome," Tellez said. "I've been super fortunate to play in front of some big crowds, and players, especially the home guys, feed off that sort of stuff. When you can put up runs like that, play like that, pitch like that, one through nine, I think it's huge. The fans definitely had our back, and that was awesome. That was fun to be a part of."

"They were into the game the whole game," Shelton said. "I mean I was really happy that we gave up two in the first three innings and then came right back and tied it up with Rowdy and Jack's homers and just continued to add on. I think it was important. And you could feel the energy in the ballpark tonight. They were into it. Even late in the game when it was 14-2 they were still up on their feet. You get a situation like that sometimes where crowds will leave and they were all here and cheering and I thought that was really cool."

“It was cool," Skenes said. "I could sense it going out at the beginning of my warmups, just a different buzz. It was probably because of the free T-shirts they were giving away. We got to do that every day.”

Up Next

Game two of the series with the Mets with lefty Bailey Falter (4-6, 3.87 ERA) against New York LHP David Peterson (3-0, 3.51 ERA) with the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show at 3p and first pitch on 93.7 The Fan at 4:05p