Paul Skenes continues march to Cy Young Award as Pirates sweep Dodgers

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sep 4, 2025

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes’ march towards the Cy Young Award continued Thursday, as he dispatched the reigning champions with ease.

Skenes scattered two hits over six scoreless innings, leading the Pirates to a 5-3 win against the Dodgers on Thursday night at PNC Park. The Pirates swept the Dodgers and have won 12 of their last 16 games, including five of their last six.

In two starts against the Dodgers this season, Skenes has pitched 12 ⅓ innings without allowing a run. He’s struck out 17, including eight on Thursday.

He generally cruised. He retired the first eight batters he faced, including striking out reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani to start the game, before catcher Dalton Rushing doubled off the very top of the center field wall. Skenes walked Ohtani, but retired shortstop Mookie Betts on a groundout to end the threat.

And that was the only jam Skenes encountered. Third baseman Miguel Rojas singled in the fifth inning, the only other baserunner Skenes allowed. He threw 94 pitches, 65 for strikes.

After six more shutout frames, he lowered his ERA to 1.98. He’s allowed two runs in his last seven combined starts at PNC Park.

The Dodgers made it interesting in the ninth, scoring twice against Dauri Moreta to snap a streak of 17 consecutive scoreless innings and bringing the tying run to the plate. Betts homered to start the inning, then three consecutive singles ending Moreta’s day. Kelly brought in Colin Holderman to stem the bleeding, who allowed an RBI single but retired two batters to earn the save.

It was over when…

With Skenes on the hill and the Dodgers struggling, even the 1-0 lead the Pirates took in the third inning seemed like enough. Right fielder Bryan Reynolds started the inning with a single off Dodgers starter Blake Snell, advanced to third on consecutive wild pitches, then scored on a single up the middle from left fielder Tommy Pham.

On the mound

After Skenes, former Dodger Yohan Ramirez pitched the next 1-⅔ innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. He earned a World Series ring in 2024, appearing 27 times in the middle of the season for the Dodgers.

Despite a five-run lead in the eighth, manager Don Kelly brought in his lone lefty Evan Sisk to face Ohtani. Ohtani popped out, not looking particularly comfortable against the sidearming Sisk.

At the plate

The Pirates cemented the result with a four-run fifth off Snell. Shortstop Jared Triolo, second baseman Nick Gonzales and Reynolds started the inning with consecutive singles, bringing in a run. The Dodgers elected to intentionally walk Andrew McCutchen to load the bases for first baseman Nick Yorke, but Yorke hit a two-run double down the left field line to put the Pirates ahead 4-0. Center fielder Alexander Canario added an RBI groundout.

Triolo and Reynolds both reached three times. Triolo reached on an error and two singles, including an infield single, while Reynolds singled twice and walked.

Snell allowed five runs, all earned, on nine hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out six.

Most valuable player

Skenes. With four starts remaining, Skenes finally has a winning record, has an ERA a full half run better than any National League pitcher, and is now tied for the National League-lead with 195 strikeouts. His first Cy Young Award almost appears inevitable.

Up next

The Pirates next face one of the few teams in the league that are better than the Dodgers, as the MLB-best Brewers come to PNC Park for a three-game series. It begins at 6:40 p.m. Friday, with Johan Oviedo (2-0, 3.60) facing former Pirate Quinn Priester (11-2, 3.28). The game will be televised on AppleTV and broadcast on the radio on 93.7 The Fan.

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