Paul Skenes can thank an unlikely hero for the Pittsburgh Pirates for saving him from picking up a pitching loss on Wednesday.
Skenes was far from his Cy Young form in the series finale against the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pa., as he lasted just 4 1/3 innings after giving up three earned runs on four hits.
He struck out five but struggled with his location, walking four through 81 pitches. He was replaced on the mound after allowing an RBI single to Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres in the fifth inning that gave Detroit a 2-1 lead.
Fortunately for the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, he was able to avoid a loss, thanks in large part to Rafael Flores Jr., who came off the bench and proceeded to make history for Pittsburgh.
According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, Flores became just the first player in Pirates history since at least 1900 to hit at least two home runs in a game while coming off the bench.
Rafael Flores Jr. is the first Pirates player since at least 1900 with multiple home runs in a game he did not start https://t.co/s1l7KGPTzN
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 19, 2026
Flores clubbed two solo homers, the first one coming in the seventh inning to cut down Detroit’s lead, 3-2, and the second in the ninth inning to tie the score at 3-3. Brandon Lowe later walked it off with a solo blast of his own to give the Pirates a 4-3 victory.
Still, there remain concerns about Skenes’ form. In 16 starts since May 17, the 24-year-old Skenes has gone 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA. Overall this season, he has a 9-11 record and a 3.95 ERA through 26 starts.
