Paul Skenes throws six no-hit innings as Pirates beat Cubs 9-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out 11 over six no-hit innings in his second major league start, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 on Friday.

Skenes allowed just one baserunner — Michael Busch on a full-count, fifth-inning walk on the eighth pitch of the plate appearance — in an utterly dominant performance. After pitching through some nerves in his big league debut against the Cubs last weekend, he looked quite comfortable on a picturesque day at Wrigley Field.

Skenes (1-0), who turns 22 on May 29, struck out his first seven batters, including the side in the first on pitches of at least 100 mph. He struck out Mike Tauchman on a 100 mph fastball on his 100th and final pitch — his 12th to reach triple digits.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft became the third rookie with seven strikeouts to start a game, joining Jacob deGrom on Sept. 15, 2014, and Jim Deshaies on Sept. 23, 1986. He also became the first rookie with an outing of at least six no-hit innings and 10-plus strikeouts since Chris Heston threw a no-hitter for San Francisco against the New York Mets on June 9, 2015.

Andrew McCutchen and Jared Triolo homered for Pittsburgh, which held on for a 5-4 victory in the opener of the four-game series on Thursday night. Triolo and Yasmani Grandal each had two hits and three RBIs.

RAYS 4, BLUE JAYS 3

TORONTO (AP) — Tyler Alexander took a perfect game bid into the eighth inning before Danny Jansen blooped an opposite-field, one-out single, and Tampa Bay hung on to beat Toronto.

Richie Palacios hit a two-run home run as the Rays built a 4-0 lead and hung on for their 10th win in 14 games.

Alexander (2-2) retired his first 22 batters before Jansen hit a 1-0 changeup near the low, outside corner off the end of his bat. The ball landed cleanly 206 feet from the plate, between right fielder Josh Lowe and Palacios at second.

The single came on Alexander’s 97th pitch. Davis Schneider homered two pitches later, cutting Toronto’s deficit to 4-2, and Daulton Varsho singled on Alexander’s 105th and final pitch, three more than Alexander’s previous career high.

Manuel Rodríguez replaced Alexander (2-2) and pinch hitter Daniel Vogelbach reached on a fielder’s choice, with Varsho advancing to third on Díaz’s errant throw.

Pinch-hitter Cavan Biggio pulled Toronto within a run with an RBI single off Manuel Rodríguez, and George Springer grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Pete Fairbanks pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save in five chances.

PHILLIES 4, NATIONALS 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out six over 7 1/3 innings and Philadelphia continued their scorching start with a victory over Washington.

The Phillies needed just 2 hours, 15 minutes in front of another jam-packed crowd of 44,507 to improve to 32-14, the best record in baseball.

Wheeler (5-3) received a rousing standing ovation when he was lifted with one out in the eighth inning. He allowed two runs and threw 104 pitches to win his fifth straight decision. Wheeler improbably went 0-3 over his first four starts — and the Phillies lost all four games — before he resumed his spot as one of the best pitchers in baseball.

The right-hander has been outshined at times this season by lefty Ranger Suárez and his 8-0 record, but there’s still no other pitcher the Phillies want on the bump for a big game.

Wheeler had his seventh quality start of the season and his 71st with the Phillies. He is tied with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole for the most quality starts in the major leagues since 2020. Wheeler has a 1.62 ERA with 525 strikeouts in 477 2/3 innings over that span.

ORIOLES 9, MARINERS 2

BALTIMORE (AP) — Gunnar Henderson’s fourth leadoff homer of the season sparked a five-run first inning that backed an effective pitching performance by John Means and carried Baltimore past Seattle.

After Henderson’s 13th home run — tied for the major league lead — Baltimore’s next five batters reached base against Bryce Miller (3-4). A throwing error by shortstop Dylan Moore let in a run and Colton Cowser followed a walk with a two-run double down the right-field line.

The first out was a sacrifice fly by Jordan Westburg that capped the outburst.

In his previous start against Seattle, Means threw a no-hitter on May 5, 2021. In this one, Moore doubled on the first pitch of the game and scored on a single by Mitch Garver.

But Means (2-0) settled down in his third start since opening the season on the injured list with a left forearm strain. The left-hander allowed two runs and six hits, walked none and struck out four over six innings.

By winning the opener of the three-game set, the Orioles are assured of completing their 106th consecutive regular-season series without being swept. That’s the third-longest streak in major league history, behind only the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals (124) and 1906-09 Chicago Cubs (115).

MARLINS 8, METS 0

MIAMI (AP) — Jesús Luzardo and three relievers combined on Miami’s third consecutive shutout, a win over New York.

Miami pitchers extended their scoreless innings streak to 28, three short of the franchise record in April 2004.

Luzardo (1-3) scattered five hits and struck out seven over six innings, ending an 0-4 skid over eight starts since beating Milwaukee on Sept. 17. Anthony Bender, Burch Smith and Anthony Maldonado followed with an inning each.

New York dropped to 20-24, losing for the sixth time in eight games and falling four games under .500 for the first time since a 1-5 start. The Mets have been shut out five times.

Nick Fortes homered and had two singles while Josh Bell doubled and singled for the Marlins, who won their second series opener this season.

GUARDIANS 3, TWINS 2

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez homered with two outs in the eighth inning, sending Cleveland to a win over Minnesota in a game featuring the first infield shift violation this season.

Ramírez connected for his 10th homer on a 2-1 pitch from Jhoan Duran (0-1), driving it into the seats in right field to delight a Progressive Field crowd that came out to see Cleveland’s new uniforms and fireworks.

It was the 226th career homer for Ramírez, moving him into a tie for fourth in club history with Hall of Famer Earl Averill. Only Jim Thome (337), Albert Belle (242) and Manny Ramirez (236) have more.

Ramírez’s homer also came after the Twins won a video challenge to wipe out a stolen base at second.

Tim Herrin (2-0), who allowed the Twins to tie it in the eighth, got the win. Emmanuel Clase worked the ninth for his 13th save.

Guardians starter Triston McKenzie allowed just two hits — one a homer — in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander also got three double plays and a nice diving catch by center fielder Tyler Freeman to start the game.

YANKEES 4, WHITE SOX 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton homered, Nestor Cortes won for the first time in 5 1/2 weeks and New York beat Chicago for their fifth straight victory.

Alex Verdugo and Stanton hit consecutive RBI doubles off starter Mike Clevinger (0-2) in the fourth inning to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead. New York equaled its longest winning streak this season and has won 11 of 13 overall, moving 16 games above .500 for the first time since finishing 99-63 in 2022.

Caleb Ferguson pitched out of an eighth-inning jam to preserve a two-run lead and Clay Holmes worked a hitless ninth for his AL-best 13th save. The closer has not allowed an earned run in 19 appearances this year.

Andrew Vaughn had two RBI singles and leadoff batter Tommy Pham finished with three hits for the White Sox (14-31) in a matchup between the top and bottom teams in the American League.

With a runner on, Pham took a called third strike to end it. Chicago had won two in a row and six of eight.

PADRES 3, BRAVES 1

ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Waldron struck out a career-high 10 and San Diego bounced back after being swept in their last series with a win over Atlanta.

Waldron (2-5) gave up one run, five hits and walked two in 5 2/3 innings.

Jurickson Profar was 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored and Jake Cronenworth was 3 for 5 with an RBI for the Padres, who totaled 13 hits (all singles).

Max Fried (3-2), who was coming off a six-inning, no-hit performance against the Mets, was touched for nine hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out two in 88 pitches.

Jeremiah Estrada recorded his first save of the season with a perfect, three-strikeout ninth after the Padres used closer Robert Suarez in the eighth against the heart of the Braves order. The Braves struck out a season-high 18 times.

The Braves threatened in the eighth after a Chadwick Tromp double put runners at second and third with two outs. Suarez struck out Michael Harris II to end the threat.

ROYALS 6, ATHLETICS 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings, Michael Massey and Maikel Garcia homered and Kansas City beat Oakland to extend their losing streak to a season-high six.

Ragans (3-3) walked two and struck out seven, rebounding from a 9-3 loss at the Los Angeles Angels when he allowed seven runs and eight hits. He has three scoreless starts of at least six innings this season.

Chris Stratton and Matt Sauers finished the four-hitter, the ninth time Oakland has been held to four hits or fewer.

Oakland has been outscored 36-6 during its losing streak, which dropped the A’s to 19-28.

Kansas City went ahead in the first when Salvador Perez hit a two-out, run-scoring infield single. Perez was called out by first base umpire Ryan Additon, but a video review ruled Perez beat the throw from third baseman Brett Harris.

Massey hit a two-run homer off Austin Adams and Maikel Garcia a three-run drive against Brandon Bielak in a five-run sixth.

ASTROS 5, BREWERS 4

HOUSTON (AP) — Jake Meyers hit a two-run homer and Jeremy Peña’s three-run shot in the fifth inning gave Houston a victory over Milwaukee to extend their season-long winning streak to six games.

Houston trailed by 2 when Victor Caratini singled to start the fifth, Jose Altuve singled on an infield grounder and Peña sent a slider from Freddy Peralta into the left-field seats for a 5-4 lead.

Hunter Brown (1-4) yielded four runs and four hits while walking three in five innings for his first win since Sept. 13. He had been 0-6 in his last nine starts.

Milwaukee had runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh, but Rafael Montero struck out William Contreras to end the threat.

The Brewers had two on with two outs again in the eighth but came up empty when Bryan Abreu struck out Sal Frelick.

ANGLES 9, RANGERS 3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Zach Neto and Taylor Ward homered, Tyler Anderson pitched two-hit ball over seven innings and Los Angeles beat Texas to give Ron Washington a victory in his first game as a visiting manager in Texas.

Neto snapped a 1-all tie and put the Angels ahead to stay with his two-run homer in the fourth, a 405-foot drive to right field for his fifth of the season.

Anderson (4-4) struck out four and walked two.

Washington is the winningest manager in Rangers’ history with his 664 wins from 2007-14, and took them to their first two World Series in 2010 and 2011. He is in the first season with the Angels (17-28), his first managerial job since Texas.

Jonah Heim and Marcus Semien went deep for Texas, which has lost seven of its last nine games.