Paul Skenes’ wipeout stuff should return after his brief, rocky opener, but the Reds’ disciplined top of the order figures to extend counts early. In the third inning a pair of patient at-bats by Matt McLain and Sal Stewart set up Elly De La Cruz, whose switch-hit power tags a first-pitch heater for a two-run double down the line. Andrew Abbott mixes his high-ride four-seamer and sweeping curve to cruise through two frames before surrendering a solo shot to red-hot Brandon Lowe in the second. Abbott settles, flashing his improved changeup to neutralize Pittsburgh’s right-handed bench bats, and Cincinnati manufactures another run in the fifth when Will Benson legs out a triple into the alley and scores on a Spencer Steer sacrifice fly. Skenes exits after five (95 pitches, 3 ER), keeping the Pirates within striking distance. Pittsburgh closes to 3-2 in the sixth when Ryan O’Hearn ambushes a first-pitch cutter from reliever Graham Ashcraft, lining an RBI single through the shift. The Reds answer immediately: McLain draws his second walk, steals second, and scores on Sal Stewart’s opposite-field single off Justin Lawrence in the seventh. Cincinnati’s late-inning bullpen trio of Tony Santillan, Sam Moll, and Connor Phillips has been spotless and holds again, though Henry Davis’ eighth-inning RBI double off Santillan narrows it to 4-3. Sam Moll strands the tying run at third by freezing Nick Gonzales with a back-door slider. Pierce Johnson gets the ninth because Alexis Díaz is unavailable, but Johnson induces a game-ending 6-4-3 double play from Oneil Cruz, sealing a tight Reds victory. Expect a crisp, low-scoring contest shaped by two quality starters, with Cincinnati’s marginally deeper bullpen and home-park familiarity providing the decisive edge.

Probable Pitchers

P. Skenes Pirates

--- - ERA

- K

A. Abbott Reds

4-4 4.10 ERA

53 K

Pittsburgh Pirates — Roster

Player	Pos	AVG	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG
Jake Mangum	RF	.167	0	0	.211	.222
Nick Gonzales	2B	.333	0	5	.357	.407
Bryan Reynolds	LF	.222	2	4	.250	.444
Marcell Ozuna	DH	.050	0	0	.174	.050
Oneil Cruz	CF	.304	3	6	.333	.696
Nick Yorke	3B	.200	0	1	.400	.200
Jared Triolo	SS	.150	0	0	.261	.200
Spencer Horwitz	1B	.133	0	1	.188	.133
Henry Davis	C	.143	0	2	.294	.214

Cincinnati Reds — Roster

Player	Pos	AVG	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG
TJ Friedl	LF	.091	0	0	.259	.091
Matt McLain	2B	.190	0	1	.370	.238
Elly De La Cruz	SS	.208	2	2	.296	.458
Sal Stewart	1B	.474	2	3	.615	.947
Eugenio Suárez	DH	.217	2	6	.250	.478
Spencer Steer	RF	.059	0	1	.150	.059
Dane Myers	CF	.444	0	1	.444	.444
Tyler Stephenson	C	.077	0	0	.143	.077
Ke'Bryan Hayes	3B	.067	0	0	.176	.067

Scoring Plays

▲ 1

Oneil Cruz homers (3) on a fly ball to right field. Bryan Reynolds scores. Marcell Ozuna scores.

3-0

▼ 4

Nathaniel Lowe doubles (1) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Oneil Cruz. Elly De La Cruz scores.

3-1

▲ 6

Spencer Horwitz walks. Oneil Cruz scores. Nick Yorke to 3rd. Jared Triolo to 2nd.

4-1

▼ 6

Eugenio Suárez homers (2) on a fly ball to left field. Sal Stewart scores.

4-3

▲ 9

Nick Gonzales singles on a ground ball to left fielder TJ Friedl. Spencer Horwitz scores. Henry Davis scores. Nick Gonzales to 2nd.

6-3

▲ 9

Bryan Reynolds homers (2) on a fly ball to right field. Nick Gonzales scores.

8-3

Pittsburgh Pirates — Batting

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	HR	AVG	OPS
Jake MangumRF	5	0	0	0	0	2	0	.167	.433
Nick Gonzales2B	5	1	2	2	0	1	0	.333	.764
Bryan ReynoldsLF	5	2	2	2	0	1	1	.222	.694
Marcell OzunaDH	4	1	0	0	1	1	0	.050	.224
Oneil CruzCF	5	2	2	3	0	1	1	.304	1.029
Nick Yorke3B	2	0	1	0	2	0	0	.200	.600
Jared TrioloSS	3	0	1	0	1	1	0	.150	.461
Spencer Horwitz1B	3	1	1	1	1	2	0	.133	.321
Henry DavisC	3	1	0	0	0	1	0	.143	.508
Totals	35	8	9	8	5	10	2

BATTING

2B: Gonzales, N (2, Ashcraft, G).

HR: Cruz, O (3, 1st inning off Abbott, A, 2 on, 2 out); Reynolds, B (2, 9th inning off Pagán, 1 on, 1 out).

TB: Cruz, O 5; Gonzales, N 3; Horwitz; Reynolds, B 5; Triolo; Yorke.

RBI: Cruz, O 3 (6); Gonzales, N 2 (5); Horwitz (1); Reynolds, B 2 (4).

2-out RBI: Cruz, O 3; Horwitz.

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Davis, H 2; Ozuna; Horwitz 2.

GIDP: Triolo.

Team RISP: 3-for-8.

Team LOB: 6.

Cincinnati Reds — Batting

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	HR	AVG	OPS
TJ FriedlLF	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	.091	.350
Matt McLain2B	4	0	0	0	0	3	0	.190	.608
Elly De La CruzSS	4	1	1	0	0	1	0	.208	.754
Sal Stewart1B	3	1	0	0	1	0	0	.474	1.562
Eugenio SuárezDH	2	1	1	2	0	1	1	.217	.728
Spencer SteerRF	4	0	0	0	0	3	0	.059	.209
Dane MyersCF	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.444	.888
Tyler StephensonC	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.077	.220
Ke'Bryan Hayes3B	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.067	.243
Totals	32	3	5	3	3	9	1

BATTING

2B: Lowe, N (1, Skenes).

HR: Suárez, E (2, 6th inning off Montgomery, M, 1 on, 1 out).

TB: De La Cruz, E; Lowe, N 2; Myers; Stephenson, T; Suárez, E 4.

RBI: Lowe, N (1); Suárez, E 2 (6).

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Benson.

Team RISP: 1-for-3.

Team LOB: 5.

FIELDING

DP: (Stewart, S-McLain, M).

a-Homered for Lowe, N in the 6th.

b-Singled for Benson in the 6th.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	PC-ST	ERA
Paul Skenes(W, 1-1)	5.0	3	1	1	2	5	0	77-51	9.53
Mason Montgomery(H, 1)	0.2	1	2	2	1	1	1	15-8	12.00
Isaac Mattson(H, 1)	1.1	1	0	0	0	0	0	22-16	4.50
Justin Lawrence(H, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	12-9	4.91
Gregory Soto	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	13-10	0.00

Cincinnati Reds — Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	PC-ST	ERA
Andrew Abbott(L, 0-1)	5.2	5	4	4	3	5	1	88-55	3.09
Connor Phillips	0.1	0	0	0	2	0	0	13-4	4.50
Graham Ashcraft	1.0	1	0	0	0	2	0	21-17	2.25
Tony Santillan	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	11-9	0.00
Emilio Pagán	1.0	3	4	4	0	2	1	33-19	13.50

Game Info

Umpires: Home Plate: Rob Drake; First Base: Stu Scheurwater; Second Base: Junior Valentine; Third Base: Jordan Baker

Venue: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati

Weather: 73°F, Partly Cloudy

Wind: 8 mph, R To L

Pittsburgh Pirates — News

Pirates Place Oneil Cruz On Injured List

Cruz (.264 AVG, 14 HR in 64 G) leaves a middle-of-the-order bat out for at least a month with hand fractures. Billy Cook replaces him with no 2026 MLB stats, marking a significant downgrade for Pittsburgh's offense as they sit 34-33 in a tight NL Central race.

Billy Cook

Oneil Cruz

Pittsburgh Pirates

Joey Bart begins rehab assignment at Single-A Bradenton

Bart (.259 AVG, .256 xwOBA) has yet to appear in 2026 after foot injury, with no clear timeline to rejoin a Pirates catching depth that sits 34-33 with a +21 run differential.

Joey Bart

Pittsburgh Pirates

Mariners Acquire Carson Fulmer From Pirates

Fulmer arrives as a minor league depth piece with no 2026 MLB stats; Seattle's rotation remains anchored by Hancock (2.80 ERA, 73 SO) and Woo (3.74 ERA, 75 SO) while Pittsburgh continues shedding pieces at 34-32.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Seattle Mariners

Braves Extend Win Streak to 3, Brewers Post 10 Extra-Base Hits vs. Rockies

ATL (45-21, +116 run diff) continues to separate from the field with an 8-2 mark in their last 10, while MIL (40-23) stays within striking distance at 7-3 over the same span. The Rockies' -99 run differential reflects structural offensive failures that Sunday's loss only compounds.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Atlanta Braves

Milwaukee Brewers

Pirates Select Davis Wendzel, Move Devenski to 60-Day IL

Devenski's 7.71 ERA across limited action removes a struggling arm from Pittsburgh's bullpen as the team sits 34-31 with a +31 run differential. Wendzel's call-up addresses infield depth while the Pirates prepare for Atlanta.

Chris Devenski

Davis Wendzel

Pittsburgh Pirates

Cincinnati Reds — News

Hunter Greene (RHP, CIN) targeting July return after elbow surgery

Greene's delayed timeline leaves Cincinnati dependent on Abbott (4.06 ERA), Singer (6.18 ERA), and Paddack (6.90 ERA) as the Reds sit 31-31 with a -48 run differential and struggle to stay competitive in the NL Central.

Hunter Greene

Cincinnati Reds

Lyon Richardson Elects Free Agency After Reds DFA

Richardson posted a 13.50 ERA across minor league action this season with no MLB innings pitched, making his departure a routine roster move for Cincinnati (31-30, -41 run differential).

Lyon Richardson

Cincinnati Reds

Orioles Acquire Kyle Nicolas From Reds

Nicolas carries a 0.863 xwOBA across minimal action and is headed to Triple-A, representing depth addition rather than immediate rotation help for Baltimore (29-33, -43 run differential).

Kyle Nicolas

Baltimore Orioles

Cincinnati Reds

Reds Release Josh Staumont

Staumont's departure is a routine depth move for Cincinnati, which sits 31-29 with a -38 run differential and has already cycled multiple relievers this season.

Cincinnati Reds

Yunior Marté Elects Free Agency After Reds DFA

Marté's departure removes minor depth from Cincinnati's bullpen as the Reds navigate a 5-4 record over their last 10 games with a rotation already leaning on Abbott (4.02 ERA) while Singer (6.18 ERA) and Paddack (6.90 ERA) continue to struggle.

Cincinnati Reds