Paul Skenes finishes season strong, Pirates win 81st game of the season

Paul Skenes struck out eight batters over 6.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits to help the Pittsburgh Pirates secure their 81st win of the season. By striking out his final batter, Skenes reached exactly 200 strikeouts on the year, marking his second consecutive season crossing the 200-strikeout plateau. Skenes concluded his 2026 campaign with a 10-11 record and a 3.82 ERA across 174.1 innings.

The Pirates took the lead in the eighth inning when Ronny Simon scored on a Spencer Horwitz sacrifice fly, followed by Mason Montgomery closing out the ninth inning for the save. Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin each recorded multi-hit games in the win. The victory ensures the Pirates will finish with at least a .500 record before heading to Detroit to face the Tigers.