North Shore Nine

The Milwaukee Brewers embarrassed the Pirates in a 14-0 blowout, handing Paul Skenes one of the worst starts of his young career. Skenes surrendered his first first-inning run of the season, struggled with command, and lasted just four innings, giving up four runs. Normally, that shouldn’t end a game — but with this Pirates offense, it did. The bats were lifeless, managing only four hits (one against a position player) and going 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

Defensively, it was a disaster. From Tommy Pham dropping a fly ball to Jack Suwinski colliding with Oneil Cruz (who may be in concussion protocol) to Nick Gonzales botching routine plays, the Pirates looked sloppy and overmatched in every facet. The bullpen, already depleted since the trade deadline, was torched again, forcing Jared Triolo to pitch the eighth inning.

This loss felt like a microcosm of the Ben Cherington era — miles behind Milwaukee despite similar resources, no clear path to contention, and fans wondering when meaningful change will come. The only question now: can they avoid a sweep and “save the parrots?”

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