PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out nine in six dominant innings, Bryan De La Cruz hit a three-run double during a six-run fifth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 on Thursday night.
Skenes (8-2), the rookie who started last month’s All-Star game, allowed just two hits and one walk after going 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in his previous three starts. Through 17 starts and 92 innings, Skenes has struck out 110.
Skenes has pitched 131 1/3 innings between the major and minor leagues in his first full professional season and the Pirates may curtail his workload late in September. However, he looked strong against the Reds.
“I feel good,” Skenes said. “I think we’ve learned as we’ve gone along. But I’m comfortable with the work I’ve put in over the offseason and at the beginning of the season to this point. I think it is paying off.”
Skenes overpowered the Reds with his fastball, which topped at 100 mph.
“Execution of the four-seam fastball, I think he went back to it, the ability to execute it on both sides of the plate, especially against his arm side away to right-handed hitters,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said when asked about the key to Skenes’ success. “I thought he was really good and when he needed a pitch, he was able to go there.”
Ben Heller pitched two innings and Hunter Stratton worked the ninth to finish the five-hit shutout, the Pirates’ ninth of the season. The Reds were blanked for the 11th time this season while losing for the fifth time in their last seven games.
De La Cruz had two doubles and a single. He entered the game with no extra-base hits in 66 plate appearances since the Pirates acquired him on July 30 in a trade with Miami.
“I tried to do too much because when you get traded and you hit 18 home runs (this season), that’s a little bit of pressure because they traded for a guy that they know that can hit home runs,” De La Cruz said. “I was trying a little bit too hard at the beginning.”
Nick Lodolo (9-6) shut down the Pirates on one hit over the first four innings before being chased with two outs in the fifth. He was charged with five runs, while striking out nine and walking three.
Lodolo is 1-4 with a 7.38 ERA in his last 10 starts after going 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA in his first 11 outings this season.
“It’s kind of been the name of the game for me lately, get the guys to two strikes and don’t finish them,” Lodolo said. “The first four innings were really good, but at the same time, we’ve got to find a way to stay in the game.”
The Pirates loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a hit batter in the fifth before Bryan Reynolds broke the scoreless tie with an RBI infield single.
Joey Bart drew a bases-loaded walk to force home a run and De La Cruz greeted Jakob Junis with a bases-clearing double to right field to make it 5-0. Oneil Cruz capped the outburst with a run-scoring single that extended his on-base streak to 14 games.
Yasmani Grandal hit a solo home run in the sixth inning.
The Reds signed veteran first baseman Dominic Smith before the game, two days after he was released by Boston. He struck out in all three plate appearances.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: OF Jake Fraley (right knee sprain) was placed on the 10-day injured list to open a 26-man roster spot for Smith. … LHP Brent Suter (torn left teres muscle) began a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Louisville. He has been out since July 20.
UP NEXT
In a matchup of left-handers, Cincinnati’s Andrew Abbott (10-10, 3.72) faces Bailey Falter (6-7, 4.02) on Friday night.
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This story has been updated to correct Pittsburgh pitcher Stratton's name to Hunter instead of Chris.
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