North Shore Nine

The Pittsburgh Pirates played spoiler on Wednesday night, handing the Cincinnati Reds a crushing 4–3 loss in 11 innings while watching Paul Skenes etch his name into baseball history. Skenes became the first qualified MLB pitcher since 2022 to finish a season with a sub-2.00 ERA, capping a year of dominance with six electric innings. Even after Don Kelly pulled him at 85 pitches, Skenes’ composure in the fifth—escaping a runner-on-third jam with back-to-back strikeouts—set the tone for a tense, back-and-forth game.

Offensively, the Pirates battled through Hunter Greene’s high-octane stuff. Spencer Horwitz went 3-for-5, delivering the decisive double in the 11th and collecting two RBIs. Jack Suwinski also came up big in extras with a clutch double, while Bryan Reynolds added a key knock to push his OPS back toward the .720 mark. The night wasn’t without drama: Oneil Cruz’s daring attempt at a wall catch in center sparked debate after he stayed down momentarily, but his all-out effort epitomized the Pirates’ relentless energy.

The bullpen made things interesting. Yohan Ramirez, Justin Lawrence, and others worked through shaky command—but ultimately preserved the win. Henry Davis’ ongoing offensive struggles continued, while his glove reminded everyone why he remains integral behind the plate.

Though the Reds’ postseason hopes aren’t officially dead, the Pirates dealt a serious blow to their rivals and gave their fans a signature moment in an otherwise challenging season.