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Pirates Series Takeaways: Top for a Reason, 2 Concerns
TL;DR
The Pittsburgh Pirates won a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks despite scoring only five runs. Their success was largely due to strong starting pitching, highlighted by a 1-0 victory in the second game.
Key points
- Pittsburgh Pirates won series against Arizona Diamondbacks
- Pirates scored only five runs in three games
- Strong starting pitching was crucial for the Pirates
- Pirates lost the first game 9-0
- They won the second game 1-0 and the third game 4-2
Pittsburgh PiratesArizona Diamondbacks
Phot provided by Matt Lynch
When a team only scores a combined five runs but still wins a three-game series, that can only mean one thing — good starting pitching.
That was the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had some struggles offensively in their series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The Pirates were on the wrong end of a 9-0 shutout in the first game of the series on Tuesday. Pittsburgh won a 1-0 pitchers’ duel on Wednesday night and earned a 4-2 rubber match win on Thursday.
After dropping the first game of the series, who better to have on the mound than the top two in the starting rotation?
On Wednesday, it was Paul Skenes, who delivered one of the best starts of his career. The reigning Cy Young winner completed eight innings for the fourth time in his career and blanked Arizona on two hits.
The right-hander started strong and ended strong. He retired the first 14 batters he faced before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reached on an infield single. Nolan Arenado followed with a base hit to right, but Skenes retired the final 10 batters he faced, the last three of which came via strikeout.
On Thursday, Mitch Keller had some shaky command and allowed two runs through the first two innings. But the right-hander rebounded with three scoreless innings and retired nine batters in a row before he was pulled after allowing a leadoff single to begin the seventh.
Keller delivered his sixth quality start of the season (eight total starts) after holding Arizona to two runs across six-strong innings of work.
Both pitchers have sub-3.00 ERA’s on the season — Skenes (2.36, which ranks eighth in the National League) and Keller (2.87, which ranks 16th). The duo is carrying the starting rotation so far this season. They represent a big reason for the team’s early success with a combined record of 9-3.
Q&A
How did the Pittsburgh Pirates perform in their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks?
The Pirates won the series 2-1, with a notable 1-0 victory in the second game.
What were the key issues for the Pirates in their series against the Diamondbacks?
The Pirates struggled offensively, scoring only five runs across the three games.
Who were the standout performers for the Pirates in the series?
The Pirates' starting pitchers were the standout performers, contributing significantly to the team's success.
What was the outcome of the first game in the Pirates vs. Diamondbacks series?
The Pirates lost the first game 9-0, marking a rough start to the series.
