Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis, right, celebrates with Marcell Ozuna (24) as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run off Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes won his second straight start after going winless for nine in a row as the Pittsburgh Pirates scored 10 runs in the fourth inning to rout the Milwaukee Brewers, 14-5, Sunday and head into the All-Star break with a three-game sweep.

“It’s cool,” Skenes said of Pittsburgh’s 50-47 record. “Try to grow that gap between wins and losses. After we’re in a good spot. Kind of wish we didn’t have an All-Star break at this point because we’re playing good baseball. But I’m super confident in our ability to show up after the break. It’s been fun to be a part of. So we’ll keep it rolling. A lot of baseball left to play. It’s going to be a fun year.”

What was slated to be a high-profile matchup lost some of its luster when Milwaukee scratched hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski on Saturday because of arm fatigue. While Skenes and Misiorowski are All-Stars, both will skip pitching in Tuesday’s showcase.

Skenes (8-8) allowed two runs and three hits over 5• innings with one walk and seven strikeouts — including four among his final five batters. He had been 0-6 in nine starts before beating Atlanta on Tuesday, and the Pirates lost all nine of those games.

Robert Gasser (2-4) gave up seven runs and eight hits in three-plus innings.

Pittsburgh took a 4-2 lead into the fourth and scored seven runs before making an out.

Marcell Ozuna homered, Henry Davis had an RBI single and Jared Koenig hit Bryan Reynolds with a pitch with the bases loaded, forced in a run by walking Esmerlyn Valdez and allowed Ryan O’Hearn’s run-scoring single that boosted the advantage to 9-2.

Nick Gonzales greeted Grant Anderson with a two-run double, Triolo hit a two-run single and, after a video review reversed the call at first on what appeared to be an inning-ending double-play grounder by Davis, Jake Mangum hit an RBI triple.

Skenes tossed three perfect innings before giving up back-to-back doubles starting the fourth to Christian Yelich and Chourio. Gary Sanchez hit into a run-scoring forceout.

Brice Turang hit a two-run homer in a three-run eighth.

“I think it showed everybody in here that this is a legit team on both sides of the ball, and it shows that we can do it and play our best game,” Brandon Lowe said.

Saturday’s games

Valdez hit his third home run of the day, and the Pirates edged the Brewers 3-2 on Saturday to sweep a doubleheader.

The Pirates won the first game 7-6, as Valdez hit two home runs — including a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning — and drove in six runs.

The rookie right fielder had eight RBIs in the two games.

Valdez’s two-run shot in the fourth inning of the nightcap opened the scoring. Turang’s two-run double in the fifth pulled the Brewers even.

Reynolds singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth off rookie left-hander Shane Drohan (4-3), who allowed three runs and five hits over 6• innings while striking out six and walking none.

Yohan Ramirez (6-2) pitched a scoreless sixth. Mason Montgomery protected a one-run lead in the ninth inning for his first save of the season and the second of his career.

Pirates rookie starter Bubba Chandler lasted 4ª innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He struck out six and walked three.

The Brewers missed the chance to win their 60th game of the season, a feat they have never accomplished before the All-Star break.

In the first game, Valdez hit his first career grand slam off Aaron Ashby (12-2), turning a 6-3 deficit into a 7-6 lead.

Valdez’s first homer of the day was a solo shot in the third that put the Pirates ahead 3-2. He also hit a run-scoring single in a two-run first inning.

Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick hit two-run home runs for the Brewers.

Bauers lined his home run into the right-field seats in the second inning to tie the game at 2-2. Frelick’s blast capped a three-run fifth inning and put the Brewers ahead 5-3.

The Brewers added a run on William Contreras’ single in the top of the seventh, but Valdez answered with his grand slam in the bottom of the inning.

Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft, who has been selected for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, had one of his few poor outings this season. He allowed five runs in five innings.

Carmen Mlodzinski (6-3) pitched one-run ball in three innings of relief and Gregory Soto pitched a scoreless ninth for his 12th save, getting Andrew Vaughn to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Brewers rookie starter Brandon Sproat gave up three runs in three innings.

Up next

The Pirates open a three-game series Friday at Cleveland.