Takeaways: Pirates Power Shines Against Tigers

Getting center fielder Oneil Cruz back from injury was a huge boost for the Pirates, as he hit a two-run home run in the second game of the series, putting them up 2-1 in the fifth inning.

Cruz, who made his return after 72 days out with a left hand fracture, crushed a knuckle curve down and away, sending it 107.7 mph off the bat and 422 feet to right-center field.

Pirates catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr. then came off the bench in the series finale and hit two solo home runs, one in the seventh inning to make it a one-run game and another in the ninth inning to tie it up at 3-3.

Flores became the first Pirates player ever to hit two home runs in a game he didn't start in franchise history and both of his home runs were 420+ feet and absolute no-doubters.

Second baseman Brandon Lowe then won it for the Pirates with a home run off the right field foul pole to end it on a walk-off, the fourth walk-off home run of his career.

The Pirates got home runs from internal improvement and also external additions this offseason, that have grealyt improved their lineup.

Cruz hit his 15th home run and was on pace for 35 home runs before his injury, including a massive turnaround against left-handed pitching this season.

Flores came to the Pirates in the David Bednar trade with the Yankees at the 2025 trade deadline and has hit five home runs in the last week, including two multi-home run games.

Lowe was already the best power-hitting second baseman in baseball when the Pirates added him via trade with the Tampa Bay Rays this past winter and he's doing it again, leading with 27 home runs and a .480 slugging percentage.

The Pirates need more home runs going forward, but this was just a glimpse into how much they've gotten better in terms of their power output.

Paul Skenes Causes More Concern After Another Rough Start

The Pirates hoped that Paul Skenes would be back at his best against the Tigers in the series finale, but they didn't get what they wanted out of him.

Skenes struggled with command early on, running up a high pitch count, and ended up throwing just 4.1 innings, giving up four hits, four walks and three earned runs over 81 pitches.

He gave up a run in the third inning, bounced back with a nine-pitch fourth inning, but then gave up three hits and a walk in the fifth inning, leading to two more runs scoring.

Skenes got a week off in between his last start, against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park on Aug. 11, to this one, as the Pirates moved him back from his originally scheduled start vs. the Boston Red Sox in the series finale at PNC Park on Aug. 16 to this one.

The results didn't pan out, as he threw a first-pitch strike on just nine of the 20 batters he faced (45%) and got just two whiffs on 13 swings on his pitches that weren't his four-seam fastball.

Skenes went just 65 pitches in his last start vs. the Marlins and it becomes the first time he hasn't thrown more than 85 pitches in consecutive starts since his first two of 2026.

His struggles with command make it three starts in a row that he has walked at least four batters, after walking four batters or more in just five of his first 77 starts.

The Pirates needed more from Skenes and they may not get it this season, as his ERA creeps up to 3.95.

Braxton Ashcraft Becoming Pirates Best Starting Pitcher

The Pirates have needed anyone who can step up in the starting rotation and Braxton Ashcraft has done exactly that.

Ashcraft came close to another complete game, as he threw just 80 pitches over eight innings against the Tigers on Aug. 18, making easy work of a lineup that gave the other two Pirates starting pitchers big problems.

It was quick work for Ashcraft, who didn't throw more than 15 pitches in an inning and only double-digit pitches in an inning twice, while getting 12 ground outs and throwing a first pitch strike on 24 of his 28 batters (86%).

Ashcraft had come off of his first career complete game against the Marlins on Aug. 13, where he threw just 85 pitches and posted 10 strikeouts and made MLB history in the process with his efficiency.

He has induced weak contact in both starts, used his first pitch strikes to get ahead of batters and gotten out of innings quickly, allowing him to pitch deeper into games.

The Pirates are practicing caution for Ashcraft, who is at almost 150 pitches, far higher than his previous career-high of 117 innings in 2025, and has a lengthy injury history.

Ashcraft is showing that he's not slowing down any time soon and has posted a 2.00 ERA with three wins in four starts in August.

The Pirates need his starts the rest of the season and if he can pitch this efficiently, Ashcraft will become the No. 1 they rely on.