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Pirates take 2 of 3 from Guardians with Sunday’s win

Major League Baseball

By The Associated Press 6 min read

CLEVELAND -- Paul Skenes allowed one run and struck out eight in seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-1 on Sunday.

Skenes (9-8) went at least seven innings for the first time since May 12. The All-Star right-hander gave up seven hits.

After allowing eight runs (seven earned) in four innings in a 10-6 loss at Philadelphia on July 1, Skenes is 3-0 with a 2.46 ERA.

Billy Cook had a career-high three hits and drove in two runs, Esmerlyn Valdez continued his torrid July with a two-run homer in the ninth and Nick Gonzales had two doubles as the Pirates won their fifth straight interleague series. They have gone 11-4 in that span.

Steven Kwan had two hits for Cleveland, which had won its past three series against Pittsburgh.

Cook gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead in the second with a base hit to right off Cleveland starter Joey Cantillo (8-5) to drive in Gonzales.

The Pittsburgh center fielder led off the fifth with a triple off the wall in the right-field corner before scoring when Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges had a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at third.

Cook extended the Pirates' lead to 4-1 in the sixth with an RBI single up the middle to score Jacob Gonzalez.

Valdez's drive down the left-field line off Will Dion in the ninth made him the sixth Pirates rookie with at least 20 RBIs in a calendar month.

Saturday (Game 2)

CLEVELAND -- Rookie All-Star Travis Bazzana hit a two-run homer to center field in the ninth inning for his first career walk-off hit and the Guardians rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Pirates Saturday night to split in a doubleheader.

Patrick Bailey led off the ninth with a single to right, Kwan followed with a double down the left-field line. Bailey tried to score from first but was tagged out at home by Pittsburgh catcher Rafael Flores Jr. after the relay throw by third baseman Nick Gonzales.

Before the game, the Pirates selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Khristian Curtis from Triple-A Indianapolis. Curtis, who started the season with the Curve in Altoona, pitched five-innings of shutout ball but was not involved in the decision. He gavee up two hits, struck out six and walked just two.

Valdez's start to his major league career is showing no signs of slowing up.

The Pirates rookie outfielder's two-run homer in the ninth inning of Sunday's 7-1 victory over the Guardians made him the fourth player in major league history with at least 12 homers and 31 RBIs in their first 31 games.

The others to accomplish that feat were Rhys Hoskins with Philadelphia in 2017, Cincinnati's Aristides Aquino in 2018-19 and the Dodgers' Will Smith in 2019.

"It feels great for the start that I've had. I always believe in myself. I prepared -- mentally and physically -- for this season to achieve what I'm achieving today, and the results are showing," Valdez said through a translator.

The 22-year-old Valdez, nicknamed "The Magician" because his first name sounds like Merlin, was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2021. He was added to the 40-man big league roster last November after batting .368 with eight home runs in the Arizona Fall League.

He went 5 for 17 during spring training but started the year at Triple-A Indianapolis. He made his major league debut on May 22 and appeared in five games before returning to Triple-A. He was recalled on June 11 and quickly became an integral part of the roster.

Manager Don Kelly said Valdez's power isn't the only impressive part of his game.

"It's the professionalism of the at-bats. He's not going up there necessarily trying to hit the home runs. He's going up there to hit, and he's got the power to leave anywhere in the yard," Kelly said. "I mean, it's been really impressive what he's been able to do in such a short amount of time, but the adjustments he's made and the changes he's made so far have been really impressive."

Valdez has hit safely in 19 of his past 22 games, batting .370 (30 for 81) with 18 extra-base hits and 27 RBIs. He is the first Pirates hitter with an extra-base hit and RBI in seven straight games since Willie Stargell in 1971.

His 20 RBIs in July lead the majors and make him the sixth Pittsburgh rookie since 2000 with at least 20 RBIs in a calendar month.

Valdez, who went 3 for 11 with two home runs and five RBIs in the weekend series against Cleveland, is also part of a Pirates' offense that has hit its stride this season.

"Everyone on the team is doing a tremendous job. I think we'll keep working to achieve the goal," he said.

Saturday (Game 1)

Valdez and Jacob Gonzalez hit two-run homers, Jared Jones struck out nine in five innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Guardians 7-1 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Nick Gonzales added a solo shot in the sixth inning as the Pirates. Pittsburgh's 128 homers are fifth in the majors. Gonzalez put the Pirates on the board with a two-run drive to right field that went 428 feet off Cleveland starter Gavin Williams (10-5). Valdez extended Pittsburgh's advantage to 4-1 in the sixth when he connected on a fastball and drove it over the wall in right-center.

Jones (2-1) allowed one run on three hits and walked one. After throwing six perfect innings in a no decision against Atlanta on July 8, the right-hander retired the first eight Cleveland hitters before Kwan's base hit to left. Dating back to Jones' July 2 outing against Philadelphia, he became only the third Pirates' pitcher since 1957 to retire at least 30 batters in a row. Harvey Haddix retired 38 straight during two outings in 1959 and Jim Bibby got out 32 straight across two games in 1981.

Williams gave up five runs on seven hits in six innings. It was the second time in the right-hander's four-year career he has allowed three home runs in a game.

Up next

The Pirates head to New York for a three-game series against the Yankees. All-Star RHP Braxton Ashcraft (9-3, 3.49 ERA) gets the start tonighty against southpaw Ryan Weathers (3-7).

Starting at /week.