TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Paul Skenes needed nearly three innings to warm up Wednesday, then struck out six over seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Oneil Cruz hit his second home run of the season and drove in another to give Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, his first win of 2025.
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Tampa Bay Rays' Ryan Pepiot pitches to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) watches his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot delivers to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz steals second base ahead of the tag by Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe (8) during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz runs the bases after his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
The 22-year-old right-hander did not walk a batter and was on the mound when the Rays scored an unearned run in the sixth. Isaiah Kiner-Falefa’s throwing error on Jonn DeLuca’s ground ball allowed the Rays their only runner in scoring position against Skenes. He scored on Brandon Lowe’s groundout.
Skenes generated 13 swings-and-misses, but did not strike out his first batter until the third inning, a career first for him.
Ryan Pepiot pitched five innings for the Rays, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out three and walking three.
With one out in the top of the fifth, Cruz drove a changeup from Ryan Pepiot 391 feet to left-center field to give the Pirates a two-run lead.
It was the first time in his career that Skenes went the first two innings of a game without recording a strikeout. His first strikeout came with two outs in the third inning when he got Lowe to swing and miss on three pitches.
The Pirates head back to Pittsburgh to open their season at PNC Park on Friday against the New York Yankees with RHP Mitch Keller on the mound.
The Tampa Bay Rays head to Texas with Zack Littell set to face RHP Tyler Mahle.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com
Tampa Bay Rays' Ryan Pepiot pitches to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) watches his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot delivers to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz steals second base ahead of the tag by Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe (8) during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz runs the bases after his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
