Paul Skenes Dominates in Pirates' Win Over Twins
PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes excelled once again for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they defeated the Minnesota Twins for a 4-2 victory in the Grapefruit League at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.
The win for the Pirates makes it three straight, as they demolished the Baltimore Orioles, 15-5 on March 15 at home and defeated the New York Yankees 4-3 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. on March 16.
Pittsburgh (13-9) also improves to 3-1 over Minnesota in the Grapefruit League, winning 5-1 at home on Feb. 23, 12-1 on the road on Feb. 27 and losing 15-3 on the road on March 13.
Skenes went 4 2/3 innings for the Pirates, allowing just five hits and three walks and an earned run, while also striking out seven batters. This was his second win of spring training, as he excelled in a 9-1 home victory over the Yankees on March 11.
The Twins did take the lead in the top of the second inning, with second baseman Edouard Julien leading off with a single and then first baseman Mike Ford hit a double, bringing Julien home for a 1-0 lead.
Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, who has missed time recently with injury, hit a two-run opposite field home run, that just got over the right field wall, for his first of Spring Training, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Pirates got two more home runs, with catcher Joey Bart hitting a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning and outfielder Bryan Reynolds doing the same in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Pittsburgh's bullpen kept the team going the rest of the game, allowing just one hit the rest of the game, a solo home run from Twins right fielder Matt Wallner off of right-hander Dennis Santana in the top of the seventh inning.
Left-handed pitcher Nicholas Dombrowski relieved Skenes for one out in the fifth inning. Fellow left-handed pitchers Caleb Ferguson and Ryan Borucki posted a scorless inning each, while right-handed pitcher Tanner Rainey got the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Pirates will stay at home and face the Philadelphia Phillies on March 18 with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m.
