Skenes gets no-decision, Taylor’s 9th-inning homer lifts Pirates over Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Paul Skenes allowed one earned run over six innings in a no-decision and Michael A. Taylor hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth off Josh Hader that led the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Houston Astros 6-3 on Monday night.

Skenes lowered his ERA from 1.93 to 1.90, giving up two runs, five hits and three walks with six strikeouts. His 103 strikeouts in his first 13 starts trail only Hideo Nomo (119), Kerry Wood (118), Herb Score (107), Jose DeLeon (106), while matching Masahiro Tanaka.

Skenes’ streak of starts with seven or more strikeouts ended at nine, tied with Dwight Gooden (1984) and Brandon Beachy (2011) for the most among rookies, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Skenes averaged 98.5 mph with his fastball, down 0.6 mph from his season average, and he didn’t touch 100 mph. He threw 34 splinkers, 28 fastballs, 28 sliders, eight curveballs and three changeups, getting 16 swings and misses, up from 11 in his first start after the All-Star break.

“I thought it was terrible,” Skenes said of his slider. “I wasn’t executing, and frankly, got lucky. I was trying to find it.”

Houston took a 2-0 lead in the fifth after loading the bases when Jon Singleton singled, Jake Meyers walked and Victor Caratini was hit by a pitch. Jose Altuve hit what appeared to be a potential inning-ending, double-play grounder, but the ball glanced off the glove of Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes for an error as two runs scored.

Yasmani Grandal homered in the sixth off Kaleb Ort and Oneil Cruz hit a tying double in the eighth off Ryan Pressly, a 119.3 mph drive that bounced to the right-field wall. Pressly had entered with 15 consecutive scoreless innings.

Taylor homered in the ninth off Hader (4-6) for a 5-2 lead on a night fans received replica Hader jerseys as a promotional giveaway. Taylor drove a 96.6 mph sinker 421 feet to left-center for his third homer this season.

“I was looking for a fastball, and he’s got a really good one,” Taylor said. “I was looking for one I could hit. It felt great.”

Aroldis Chapman (4-4) struck out two in a one-hit eighth and David Bednar earned his 19th save in 22 chances. He forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk to Yordan Alvarez, then retired Yainer Diaz on a game-ending popout.

“Full team win,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I think grit is a good word. We’ve had to use a lot of people in the last two days, and we’ve had a lot of people really step up in big moments. So overall, two good team victories.”

Houston’s Tayler Scott pitched three hitless innings in his first big league start this season after Jake Bloss was scratched. The Astros boosted their rotation, acquiring left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from Toronto for Bloss, first baseman/outfielder Joey Loperfido and infielder Will Wagner, son of former pitcher Billy Wagner.

Pittsburgh acquired infielder Nick Yorke from Boston for right-hander Quinn Priester and left-hander Jalen Beeks from Colorado for Double-A left-hander Luis Peralta.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: LHP Bailey Falter (left triceps tendinitis) was activated from the 15-day injured list and is expected to make his first start since July 6 on Tuesday. … RF Joshua Palacios left with left hamstring discomfort in the fifth, an inning after a groundout. ... CF Ji Hwan Bae left with left knee discomfort. ... OF Bryan Reynolds was activated from the bereavement list and OF Jack Suwinski was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander and RHP Luis Garcia are on track to throw off a mound on Tuesday, manager Joe Espada said. Garcia will face hitters that will swing while Verlander will face batters that will not swing.

UP NEXT

Falter (4-7, 4.08 ERA) will start the second game of the series for the Pirates on Tuesday. Astros RHP Hunter Brown (9-6, 4.40 ERA) will try to extend his streak of pitching six or more innings in 12 consecutive starts, the second-longest streak in the major leagues this season.

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