Three Takeaways From Pirates' Series Win Over Rockies

The Pirates ace took a perfect game going into the fifth inning, before he hit Rockies designated hitter Troy Johnston with a pitch, and then took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, before center fielder Mickey Moniak hit a single that Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz dove for and almost made the catch on.

Skenes has flirted with perfection in three of his past four starts, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning in the 1-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 6 and retiring the first 20 batters in the 6-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 24.

His Diamondbacks start was almost identical to his start vs. the Rockies, as he also threw eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits, while posting seven strikeouts.

Skenes made Pirates history in numerous ways, but maybe his most impressive feat is his 35-innings streak without issuing a walk and last doing so vs. the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 13.

He has a 6-2 record over nine starts, a 1.98 ERA over 50.0 innings pitched, with 56 strikeouts to seven walks, a .145 batting average allowed and a 0.64 WHIP in 2025.

Skenes leads baseball in BAA and WHIP, plus BB/9 (1.26) and K/BB (8.00) amongst qualified pitchers and is well on his way to another National League Cy Young Award if he keeps pitching this way.

Ryan O'Hearn Finds Power Again

Pirates right fielder Ryan O'Hearn hadn't hit a home run in May and went 12 games without a home run, before he finally got his power back.

O'Hearn hit a solo home run to right-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning of the 10-4 defeat on May 13, which cut the deficit to 6-4 at the time.

It came on a 95.8 mph four-seam fastball inside from Rockies right-handed pitcher Antonio Senzatela that O'Hearn sent 100.4 mph off the bat and 392 feet.

O'Hearn then hit his second home run in the series, a two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning in the 7-2 win in the series finale on May 14.

He hit a 97.7 mph four-seam fastball over the middle of the plate from Rockies right-handed starting pitcher Chase Dollander, which O'Hearn obliged and crushed 104.1 mph and 413 feet to right-center field to make it a 3-0 lead.

O'Hearn now has seven home runs on the season and is on pace for 27 home runs, which would be 10 more home runs than his career-high of 17 home runs last season.

He is also slashing .299/.375/.474 for an OPS of .849 and has proven the Pirates by signing him as a free agent this offseason, as he's greatly improved this lineup since coming on.

Pirates Spot Start Decision Keeps Working

The Pirates went with a spot start in the series finale vs. the Rockies, as left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery started the game, rather than usual starter in right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski.

Pittsburgh going with this is to force the other team to make a change and also with Montgomery more proficient vs. left-handed batters, which Colorado had at the top of their lineup, than Mlodzinski is.

Montgomery ended up facing three right-handed batters and despite giving up a hit, got three strikeouts and one on a left-handed batter to get out of the inning.

The Pirates then went with fellow left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk, who threw a scoreless frame in the second inning, and then with Mlodzinski, who allowed two runs over five innings for a solid outing.

Pittsburgh got four scoreless innings from their bullpen, with right-handed pitchers in Dennis Santana and Yohan Ramírez throwing the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, helping secure the win.

The Pirates have gone with this strategy twice prior at PNC Park this season, against the Nationals on April 13 and vs. the St. Louis Cardinals on April 27.

It worked great the first time, as Montgomery threw a scoreless first inning and then Mlodzinski threw six scoreless innings in the 2-0 win.

The second time also worked mostly, with Montgomery and right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence throwing an innings and then rookie right-handed pitcher Wilber Dotel throwing four innings to keep a perfect game going into the seventh inning, before Santana had a poor outing in the ninth inning and the Pirates lost 4-2.

Pirates manager Don Kelly isn't afraid to make changes when needed and he liked how Mlodzinski handles himself when he comes out of the bullpen.

"First, I think it's the mindset and the attitude and how they go about it," Kelly said postgame. "Carmen, he's come out of the 'pen before, but he's been starting all year. So to take that mindset out to the 'pen and come in in the middle of the game in both outings, he's been really, really good. Really efficient."

The way these spot starts have worked show that the Pirates should keep going with them and use them in scenarios they see best fit.