PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trea Turner hit a three-run home run during a five-run second inning, Bryce Harper’s misjudged double scored two runs in the fourth, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat struggling Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes and the Pirates 10-6 on Wednesday night.
Skenes (6-8) lasted four innings, allowing six hits and a season-high seven earned runs. He has not won in his last nine starts, losing six decisions in that stretch.
The defending NL Cy
Young Award winner’s first loss in this slide came at PNC Park on May 17 at the hands of Wheeler and the Phillies by 6-0. He didn’t allow a run that day until the fifth inning. This time, the Phillies didn’t wait that long.
Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales fielded a bases-loaded grounder in the second inning and had a routine force play at the plate, but he fired the ball off runner Alec Bohm’s hand for an error and two runs. Turner hit the next pitch into the seats for his third homer in as many games and a 5-0 lead.
Henry Davis hit a homer as the Pirates scored twice in the third, but Brandon Marsh got one of those runs back with a solo shot in the bottom half.
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.
The Pirates cut the lead to five in the fifth on an RBI single by Gonzales. Kyle Backhus hit two batters consecutively, forcing in a run and making it 8-4.
A two-run double by Pittsburgh’s Jared Triolo cut it to 8-6 in the seventh but Bohm hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
Orion Kerkering (6-0) got five straight outs in the seventh and Jhoan Duran pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
Despite excessive heat warnings, it’s still a 12:30 p.m. start Thursday for the Pirates and Jared Jones (1-1, 5.76 ERA) against the Phillies and Alan Rangel (0-1, 4.50).
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