Understanding Reds Edge Pirates 3-2 In Skenes' Start

Reds Edge Pirates 3-2 in Skenes' Start as Cincinnati Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive The Reds survived a tense 3-2 victory over the Pirates on Saturday, and while the final score looks close, anyone watching knows this one felt a lot more dramatic than the numbers suggest. Paul Skenes took the mound for Pittsburgh, and for six innings, he was everything you'd want from a young ace — filthy stuff, mound presence, that quiet confidence that says he belongs. But the Reds scratched across runs when it mattered most, and suddenly, Cincinnati is looking less like a bubble team and more like a real threat in the NL Central. It wasn't pretty.

It wasn't clean. But it was enough. What Actually Happened in This One Skenes, the Pirates' prized right-hander, threw six innings of two-run ball. He struck out seven, walked two, and induced weak contact on just about everything he didn't miss the zone with.

His slider was diving under bats all afternoon, and his fastball was sitting 97-99 mph with late life. For a guy who's still learning how to manage a lineup a third time through, he looked awfully polished. The problem? The Reds found just enough cracks.

Cincinnati got on the board in the third with a solo homer from TJ Friedl — just a laser into the right-field seats that gave them a 1-0 lead. Then in the fifth, a leadoff walk to Spencer Steer turned into a run-scoring single from Elly De La Cruz, who stole second and scored on a bloop single from Jaylin Davis. Two-zip Reds. Pittsburgh answered in the sixth when Bryan Reynolds Jr.

launched a two-run shot off Reds starter Graham Ashcraft, tying it at 2-2. That's when the tension really cranked up. Both bullpens were working in relief, and the game felt like it could go either way until the ninth. Why This Win Matters More Than the Record Shows Look, the Reds aren't going to sneak into the playoffs by accident.

But wins like this — against a team they're directly competing with, on the road, with their ace on the mound — they add up. Cincinnati sits just two games back of the final wild-card spot as of Sunday morning, and every win against a Pirates team that's still very much in the hunt feels like a small victory in a bigger war. The Pirates, meanwhile, are stuck in that frustrating middle ground. They've got talent — Skenes is special, and their lineup has pieces — but they keep finding ways to lose games they should win.

That's the difference between a promising young team and one that's ready to break through. How the Reds Pulled It Off The Reds' bullpen deserves credit here. After Ashcraft exited having thrown 98 pitches, the pen had to protect a one-run lead for three innings. Hunter Greene came in for the seventh and immediately induced a ground-ball double play that killed a potential rally.

Then Derek Law, who's been quietly one of the better relievers in baseball this summer, worked the eighth. And in the ninth, Alexis Diaz — yes, Diaz — converted his first save since returning from the IL, throwing 12 pitches and recording the final three outs. The defense made two key plays too. In the seventh, De La Cruz made a diving stop on a slow roller that could have been an infield hit, and in the eighth, a diving catch from center fielder Stuart Fairchild prevented what would have been at least a runner in scoring position in the ninth.

What Most People Missed About Skenes' Performance Here's what stood out if you were really watching: Skenes didn't have his best stuff early. His fastball was sitting 95-96 mph in the first two innings, and his slider was a little slurvey — not the sharp, late-breaking pitch it usually is. But he adjusted. By the fourth inning, he was back up to 98 mph, and that slider was diving under the zone like a helicopter blade.

That's the sign of a pitcher who's growing up fast. Young arms often get rattled when their stuff isn't perfect, but Skenes just seemed to shrug it off and make pitches when he needed to. The two runs he allowed were both on well-executed pitches that just found grass. The other thing people missed?

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His pitch sequencing was excellent. He mixed in a curveball in the fifth that had De La Cruz looking, and he threw a 3-2 curveball to strike out Fairchild in the sixth — a pitch that was sitting in the dirt and then snapping back over the plate. That's advanced stuff for a guy who's still learning how to attack hitters. Common Mistakes People Make Watching Games Like This One thing I keep seeing in the postgame analysis: people act like Skenes' performance was a disappointment because he didn't dominate.

But here's the reality — he threw six innings of two-run ball against a lineup that's been hot all month. That's not a bad day. That's a solid start that his team couldn't support. The other mistake?

Overreacting to the final score. Yeah, it was 3-2, but the Reds had multiple chances to blow it open and couldn't. The Pirates had chances too. This was a game that could have swung either way in the seventh or eighth inning, and the Reds happened to make one more play.

And let's be honest — the save situation was a little weird. Diaz hasn't been the Reds' primary closer for most of the season, but he's been excellent since coming back, and this was his first opportunity in a week. Sometimes you've got to trust the guy who's hot. What Actually Works for Both Teams Moving Forward For the Reds, the key is consistency.

They've been up and down all season, and that's going to kill them in a playoff race. They need Ashcraft to give them five solid innings more often, and they need that bullpen to hold leads. But if Diaz can stay healthy and Law keeps throwing like he has, they've got a real shot. For the Pirates, they need Skenes to keep developing.

He's clearly their best pitcher, and if he can cut down that walk rate and get a little more consistent with his secondary stuff, he's going to be dominant. But they also need their offense to be more reliable. Reynolds is hitting. 280, but the guys around him need to step up.

The wild card race is going to come down to these kinds of games — close, tense, where one play makes the difference. Both teams showed they can handle that pressure, even if only one walked away with the win. FAQ: Reds vs. Pirates Questions How did the Reds win 3-2 against the Pirates?

The Reds scored two runs off Skenes in the third and fifth innings, and their bullpen held the Pirates scoreless over the final three innings. Diaz earned his first save since returning from the IL. Was Paul Skenes effective in this start? Yes, despite allowing two runs.

He threw six innings, struck out seven, and kept the Reds off balance with his slider. His stuff was a tick below his usual standard early but improved as the game went on. Are the Reds still in playoff contention? Absolutely.

They sit two games back of the final wild-card spot, and wins against direct competitors like the Pirates are crucial for their chances. Who was the winning pitcher for the Reds? Graham Ashcraft started and threw five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He earned the win despite not being dominant. Less friction, more output.

What does this mean for the Pirates? It's another missed opportunity. They've got talent, but they keep finding ways to lose close games. That's going to be a problem if they want to stay in the playoff race.

--- The Reds will send Nick Lodolo to the mound on Sunday, while the Pirs counter with Mitch Keller. If this series has taught us anything, it's that every game matters — and neither team can afford to look ahead.