Paul Skenes lasts 4 innings, allows a season-high 7 earned runs vs the Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (AP), Struggling Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes had his worst outing of the season on Wednesday night, lasting only four innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and allowing a season-high seven earned runs.

Since beating Colorado 3-1 on May 12 to improve to 6-2 with a 1.98 ERA, the defending NL Cy Young Award winner has not won over his last nine starts, his record falling to 6-8 and his ERA climbing to 3.62.

In an anticipated duel and rematch between Skenes and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler, played on a humid night with temperatures in the 90s, neither pitcher worked to his standard.

Skenes’ first loss in this slide came at PNC Park on May 17 at the hands of Wheeler and the Phillies. In that game, he didn’t allow a run until the fifth inning.

On Wednesday night, the Phillies didn’t wait that long.

Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales fielded Justin Crawford’s bases loaded grounder in the second inning and seemingly had a routine force play at the plate, but he fired it off runner Alec Bohm’s hand, good for an error and two runs.

Next batter Trea Turner hit a pitch from Skenes into the seats for his third homer in as many games to make it 5-0.

The Pirates scored twice in the third but Brandon Marsh got one of those runs back with a solo shot to lead off the bottom half of the inning. The Phillies made it 8-2 in the fourth on another Pirates mistake, this time when Bryce Harper's line drive was misjudged by left fielder Tyler Callihan for a two-run double.

Wheeler, meanwhile, struggled with his command, and couldn’t get out of the fifth.

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