Paul Skenes dominates the Cincinnati Reds as the Pirates cruise to a 7-0 win on Aug. 8, 2025. See how Skenes shut down Elly De La Cruz and the Reds' bats.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Well, that was a tough one to watch. The Cincinnati Reds rolled into PNC Park on Thursday night with hopes of starting a crucial series on the right foot, but instead ran into a buzzsaw named Paul Skenes. The Pirates' phenom was virtually untouchable, leading Pittsburgh to a dominant 7-0 victory that left Reds hitters shaking their heads and fans searching for answers.
Paul Skenes extended his scoreless streak to a staggering 27 2/3 innings, the longest active streak in MLB.
There's no other way to put it: Paul Skenes owned the night. While he allowed a career-high seven hits, he never broke, striking out eight Reds over six shutout innings. The Cincinnati offense, which has shown flashes of brilliance this season, was shut out for the seventh time. Key bats like Elly De La Cruz and Austin Hays were left chasing pitches, each striking out twice. On the other side, Reds starter Brady Singer struggled, lasting just 3 2/3 innings and getting tagged for four runs, putting the team in a hole they could never climb out of. Homers from Bryan Reynolds and Henry Davis sealed the deal for the Pirates.
Lost in the lopsided score was the emotional return of Ke'Bryan Hayes. Playing his first game in Pittsburgh since being acquired by the Reds at the trade deadline, Hayes was a focal point for both teams. He managed a solid 1-for-3 night at the plate, but it was undoubtedly a strange feeling for him to be in the visitor's dugout at PNC Park. It's a storyline that adds another layer of intrigue to this four-game set, even if the first chapter was one the Reds would rather forget.
The beauty of baseball is that there's always tomorrow. The Reds will look to flush this loss quickly as they send their top pitching prospect, Chase Burns, to the mound on Friday. Burns (0-3, 6.04 ERA) is still hunting for that elusive first big-league win, and what better way to get it than by bouncing back against the division-rival Pirates? He'll face veteran Mitch Keller (5-10, 3.89 ERA) in a matchup that gives Cincinnati a prime opportunity to even the series and get their bats back on track.
Thursday's loss was a bitter pill to swallow, a stark reminder of how dominant an ace can be. But the season is a marathon, not a sprint. With top prospect Chase Burns getting the ball and a chance to immediately erase the memory of the shutout, the Reds have an opportunity to show their resilience. Here's hoping the offense wakes up and gives the kid some run support to get that first 'W' under his belt.
