Pirates EXPLODE in 6th inning, Back Paul Skenes to Rout Nationals

Photo provided by Matt Lynch

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were already having a good night offensively behind Paul Skenes when they erupted for 10 runs in the sixth inning of Monday’s 16-5 rout of the Washington Nationals at PNC Park.

Scoring Plays

Top 1st, 1-0 WSH: CJ Abrams turned around a 99.5 mph heater from Paul Skenes (3-1) for a solo home run to right field.

Bottom 2nd, 4-1 PIT: The Pirates (10-6) knocked Nationals starter Cade Cavalli (0-1) before the inning ended and scored four runs. Oneil Cruz drew a bases-loaded walk and Brandon Lowe followed with a two-run single into shallow left-center. Bryan Reynolds capped off the inning with an RBI single the other way.

Bottom 3rd, 5-1 PIT: Spencer Horwitz connected on his first home run of the season and he knew it off the bat. His solo shot to right off Paxton Schultz traveled 376 feet.

Bottom 6th, 15-1 PIT: The Pirates poured it on with 10 runs in the sixth inning. Reynolds cleared the bases with a triple to get things going. Ryan O’Hearn followed with an RBI double off the center field fence. Konnor Griffin chipped in an RBI single before Cruz plated two with a screamer of a single off the fence in right. Lowe put the exclamation point on the inning with a three-run home run to right.

Top 7th, 15-5 PIT: The Nationals (7-9) plated four runs off José Urquidy, who relieved Skenes. Jacob Young hit a two-run homer and Nasim Nuñez plated two more with a double to right.

Bottom 8th, 16-5 PIT: Joey Bart tacked on a run with a sac fly to left off outfielder Joey Wiemer, who was tasked with handling the eighth inning.

Key Moments

The Pirates batted around in two separate innings. They sent nine men to the plate in a four-run second inning and sent sent 13 batters in the explosive sixth inning.

Player of the Game

Brandon Lowe went 3 for 5 with a home run and five RBI. He has 10 RBI over his last two games.

Stat to Know

This was the first time the Pirates scored 10 runs in an inning since July 9, 2017 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. It was the first time they did it at home since May 17, 2009 against the Colorado Rockies.

Notable Performances

• Paul Skenes: 6.0 innings, one hit, one run, one walk, six strikeouts, 88 pitches/60 strikes
• Oneil Cruz: 2 for 3, three RBI, three runs, two walks, one steal
• Brandon Lowe: 3 for 5, one home run, five RBI, two runs, one HBP
• Spencer Horwitz: 2 for 4, one home run, one RBI, two runs, one walk
• Bryan Reynolds: 3 for 4, one triple, four RBI, one run, one HBP
• Henry Davis: 2 for 4, three runs, one walk, one steal

Noteworthy

• Brandon Lowe became the first Pirate with five-plus RBII in back-to-back game since RBI became an official stat in 1920.
• Paul Skenes’ strikeout of Luis García Jr. in the top of the first inning was the 400th strikeout of his career. He’s the first Pirates pitcher and one of 20 Major Leaguers in the Modern Era (since 1901) with at least 400 strikeouts across his first 59 career starts.
• Oneil Cruz extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games with a single in the fourth. The streak is the longest active in MLB. Cruz also has six stolen bases over his last four games.
• The last time the Pirates scored 16 runs in a game they won was on April 29, 2023 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals.
• The Pirates outhit the Nationals 16-8.
• The Pirates optioned LHP Hunter Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis and recalled LHP Evan Sisk.

Up Next

RHP Mitch Keller (1-0, 1.00 ERA) will start for the Pirates in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. RHP Miles Mikolas (0-3, 12.41 ERA) will be on the mound for the Nationals. First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh/93.7 The Fan.

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