Skenes strengthens NL Cy Young case with dominant win vs. Rockies

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes pitched seven sparkling innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Sunday for their fourth consecutive win.

Jared Triolo hit a three-run homer for Pittsburgh, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a run-scoring double. Triolo also went deep during Saturday night's 5-1 victory over the lowly Rockies.

Skenes (8-9) allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked none. It was a much sharper performance by the right-hander than his previous start against Colorado, when he permitted four runs and five hits in five-plus innings in a no-decision at Coors Field on Aug. 2.

Pittsburgh outscored Colorado 18-1 while sweeping the weekend series between last-place teams.

Rockies right-hander McCade Brown (0-1) pitched 3 2/3 innings in his major league debut. He was charged with four runs and five hits.

Triolo connected in the fourth, driving a slider deep to left-center for his fifth homer. Henry Davis then walked, swiped second and scored on Kiner-Falefa's double.

Skenes and Davis are the only batterymates in MLB history to be No. 1 overall picks — Davis in 2021 and Skenes in 2023.

Jen Pawol — the first woman to umpire in the major leagues — made her second start behind the plate in her second series this season.

Key moment

The Rockies put two on with two out in the ninth against Dennis Santana. But Brenton Doyle bounced to second for the final out of the game.

Doyle drove in Colorado’s only run in the series with a ninth-inning homer on Saturday.

Key stat

Skenes’ 2.02 ERA through his first 50 starts is the second lowest in history. Athletics Hall-of-Famer Vida Blue had a 2.01 ERA.

Up next

Pirates: Open a four-game series at St. Louis on Monday night.

Rockies: RHP Tanner Gordon (4-5, 7.11 ERA) starts Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Houston.

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