PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes again pitched into the eighth for Pittsburgh before Andrew McCutchen that inning, helping the Pirates complete a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies with a 2-1 win on Sunday.
Skenes lowered his ERA to 1.88 while his record remained at 4-6. The 23-year-old ace gave up one unearned run on two hits with seven strikeouts and one walk in 7 2/3 innings before getting pulled for Braxton Ashcraft (1-0), who got the final four outs for his first win in the majors.
Cristopher Sánchez (5-2) walked Oneil Cruz to start the Pirates’ half of the eighth. McCutchen then hit a broken-bat single to right off Owen Kerkering and Cruz beat Nick Castellanos’ throw home after stumbling around third.
The Phillies have lost five straight and nine of 10.
Skenes is 1-4 in his past eight starts, even with allowing five runs in 42 1/3 innings over his last six. He gave up one run in eight innings against Houston in his previous outing.
Sánchez surrendered two runs — the first on an RBI double from Jared Triolo in the second — and five hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings.
Key moment
Ashcraft entered as boos subsided from the decision to pull Skenes with the bases empty and two outs in the eighth. He walked Marsh before forcing Marchán into a groundout. Ashcraft finished the game by getting Alec Bohm to hit into a double play.
Key stat
Skenes has allowed no more than six hits in each of his 37 appearances in the majors.
Up next
Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (6-2, 2.96 ERA) is set to start Monday, opening a three-game home series against the Cubs and LHP Matthew Boyd (5-3, 3.01).
Pirates: RHP Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.27) will take the mound in the first of a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday.
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