PITTSBURGH — The Pirates eked out a 1–0 win over the Cardinals Tuesday night at PNC Park, riding dominant pitching and late-inning execution to extend their win streak to five games. While the victory shows promise for Pittsburgh, the spotlight again falls on Paul Skenes—and the growing sense that his future doesn’t belong in black and gold.
Skenes Shines in Short Outing
In his second MLB season, Paul Skenes was sharp once again. The right-hander tossed five scoreless innings, striking out five and scattering five hits. He didn’t allow a run, but didn’t pitch deep enough to qualify for the win. It’s a frustratingly familiar pattern: Skenes dominating on the mound, only to be underutilized or under-supported by the Pirates’ game management.
Despite a 2.47 ERA on the season, Skenes has been handled with frustrating caution—likely in the name of “long-term development”—but it raises questions. When will Pittsburgh unleash their ace? And more importantly, why waste a generational arm on a franchise that continues to hover at the edge of contention without pushing through?
Davis Drives in the Decisive Run
The game remained scoreless until the eighth inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes led off with a single, followed by a pinch-hit ground-rule double from Adam Frazier. Henry Davis then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring the only run of the night.
Stellar Defense, Steady Bullpen
In the ninth, a pivotal defensive moment preserved the lead. Victor Scott II grounded to first, where Spencer Horwitz fired home to Henry Davis, who applied a textbook tag. Closer David Bednar struck out the final batter, locking up his 12th save and the Pirates’ second straight shutout of St. Louis—something they hadn’t done since 2012.
A Winning Streak Amid an Uncertain Future
The Pirates’ five-game winning streak includes four blowouts and now two shutouts. They’re playing their best baseball of the season. But even as Pittsburgh surges, the looming issue remains: how long can the Pirates realistically keep Paul Skenes happy, healthy, and hopeful?
For a pitcher with Cy Young potential, Pittsburgh may not be the long-term answer. The conservative innings limits, the inconsistent run support, and the franchise’s checkered history with player development all point to a hard truth: if Skenes wants to compete on the game’s biggest stages, he and the Pirates may need to part ways—sooner rather than later.
