Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes reacts after getting Arizona Diamondbacks' Adrian Del Castillo to fly out during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes struck out nine and gave up three hits in six innings, Oneil Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in two runs each, and the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second straight game, 6-0 on Sunday.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes (6-8) is the first pitcher to have an ERA below 2 through his first 45 starts. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year sits at 1.89 for his career and 1.83 this year, which leads the majors.

Skenes is the only starter this season who hasn’t allowed a first-inning run. He struck out two in the first, including Geraldo Perdomo, who hadn’t fanned in a league-best 39 straight at-bats.

Jake McCarthy had a one-out triple in the second, but Skenes struck out James McCann and retired Alek Thomas on a popup to short. Skenes also worked around a leadoff double by Tristin English in the third.

Cruz walked leading off the Pirates second and the majors stolen base leader with 34 was off and running when Tommy Pham singled to center field on a 1-2 pitch from Zac Gallen for a 1-0 lead.

Gallen (7-12) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. Arizona scored one run in the three-game series, winning 1-0 in 11 innings Friday night.

Key moment

Skenes hit Eugenio Suárez with a 3-2 pitch leading off the fourth and McCarthy doubled him to third with one out. Skenes then struck out McCann on three pitches and Thomas on six.

Key stat

Skenes has allowed one run or fewer in 14 of 22 starts this season after doing it 14 times as a rookie.

Up next

The D-backs head to Detroit to begin a series against the Tigers today, and the Pirates play at San Francisco.

SATURDAY

Pirates get 2-0 win

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew Heaney and five relievers combined on a four-hitter, Oneil Cruz hit his team-leading 17th home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 on Saturday night.

Heaney (5-9) pitched five innings and allowed two hits with four strikeouts and no walks. It might have been his last start for the last-place Pirates, with Heaney on an expiring contract and the trade deadline Thursday.

David Bednar worked a perfect ninth inning for his 100th career save and 16th this season.

Merrill Kelly (9-6) might have pitched his last game for the Diamondbacks, too, as he can become a free agent at the end of the season. Kelly gave up two runs — one earned — and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking one.

Cruz’s two-run homer in the second inning carried 410 feet to right-center field and accounted for all the scoring. It came after Tommy Pham reached base on third baseman Eugenio Suarez’s fielding error.

Suarez, who has 36 home runs, has topped trade speculation.

The Diamondbacks pulled outfielder Randal Grichuk in the fifth inning and traded him to Kansas City for reliever Andrew Hoffman. The move came two days after the Diamondbacks shipped first baseman Josh Naylor to Seattle for two pitching prospects.

The Diamondbacks were 10 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West entering play Saturday. They also were four games out of the third wild card position.

The Pirates won for the fourth time in five games and the Diamondbacks lost for the fourth time in five games.

Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas missed his third game while on the bereavement list, but it expected to play Sunday.

Key moment

The Diamondbacks had runners on first and second with two outs in the sixth inning, but Yohan Ramirez struck out Jorge Barrosa, who replaced Grichuk, to end the threat.

Key stat

The Pirates have 12 shutouts this year.