Paul Skenes, Pirates lose to Brewers in blowout fashion

Noah Hiles, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Aug 12, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Not even Paul Skenes could save the Pirates Tuesday evening. Matched up against the best team in baseball, Pittsburgh’s losing ways continued, falling by a final score of 14-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

Freddy Peralta was the game’s winning pitcher, improving to 14-5 on the season. Skenes suffered the loss, dropping to 7-9.

Skenes struggled earlier this year in Milwaukee. This outing was no different. The Brewers seemed to have all the answers for the Pirates ace, tagging him for four runs, all earned, on six hits and a pair of walks over four innings. The outing was tied for Skenes’ shortest of the year, the other being his first loss to the Brewers on June 25.

The evening to forget began with a bang, as Brewers’ leadoff man Sal Frelick tagged Skenes for a leadoff homer. Frelick scored his club’s second run two innings later, when he was doubled home by William Contreras. Skenes then surrendered two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, the first on a solo homer from Brice Turang and the second on an RBI single from Frelick, which scored Joey Ortiz.

Things only went further south following Skenes’ exit. The Brewers tagged the Pirates bullpen for eight additional runs over the next three innings. The damage was so excessive that infielder Jared Triolo was called upon to pitch the club’s final frame.

The 14-run loss was the most lopsided defeat the Pirates have suffered this year. The win was Milwaukee’s 11th in a row.

It was over when ...

The Brewers tagged Skenes for two additional runs in the bottom of the fourth, making it a 4-0 game.

On the mound

Right-handed reliever Yohan Ramirez was roughed up yet again, allowing five runs, four earned, over one inning on the mound. Ryan Borucki followed, surrendering three runs, all earned, in one inning of work. Dennis Santana threw a scoreless frame in the bottom of the seventh, setting things up for Triolo, who allowed a two-run homer to Caleb Durbin, concluding the dominant offensive display.

In total, the Brewers tallied 15 hits, eight of them for extra-bases. Five different players homered in the victory.

At the plate

For as good as the Brewers were at the plate, the Pirates were even worse offensively. Peralta delivered six solid innings on the mound, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out seven. Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s double in the top of the third inning was Pittsburgh’s lone extra-base hit.

Manager Don Kelly attempted to give his team a spark, getting ejected arguing balls and strikes in the top of the fifth inning. His efforts were unsuccessful, as the Pirates tallied just two hits, both singles, following his exit.

On the note of exits, Oneil Cruz, the club’s cleanup hitter, was removed from the game after colliding with Jack Suwinski in left field. The team announced via social media that he was being evaluated for a head injury.

Most valuable player

Christian Yelich tallied three hits and drove in three runs for the Brewers.

Up next

The Pirates and Brewers will conclude their three game series Wednesday afternoon at American Family Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. Mitch Keller (5-10, 3.86) will face Brandon Woodruff (4-0, 2.29) on the mound.