Skenes dominant into 8th, McCutchen hits go-ahead single as Pirates win 2-1 to sweep Phillies

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the third inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ke’Bryan Hayes, left, scores as Philadelphia Phillies catcher Rafael Marchan, right, applies the late tag during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, left, tags out Philadelphia Phillies’ Otto Kemp, right, on a steal attempt during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

By WES CROSBY

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes again pitched into the eighth for Pittsburgh before Andrew McCutchen came through with a go-ahead single that inning, helping the Pirates complete a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies with a 2-1 win on Sunday.

Skenes lowered his ERA to 1.88 while his record remained at 4-6. The 23-year-old ace gave up one unearned run on two hits with seven strikeouts and one walk in 7 2/3 innings before getting pulled for Braxton Ashcraft (1-0), who got the final four outs for his first win in the majors.

Cristopher Sánchez (5-2) walked Oneil Cruz to start the Pirates’ half of the eighth. McCutchen then hit a broken-bat single to right off Owen Kerkering and Cruz beat Nick Castellanos’ throw home after stumbling around third.

The Phillies have lost five straight and nine of 10.

Skenes is 1-4 in his past eight starts, even with allowing five runs in 42 1/3 innings over his last six. He gave up one run in eight innings against Houston in his previous outing.

Sánchez surrendered two runs — the first on an RBI double from Jared Triolo in the second — and five hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings.

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Key moment

Ashcraft entered as boos subsided from the decision to pull Skenes with the bases empty and two outs in the eighth. He walked Marsh before forcing Marchán into a groundout. Ashcraft finished the game by getting Alec Bohm to hit into a double play.

Key stat

Skenes has allowed no more than six hits in each of his 37 appearances in the majors.

Up next

Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (6-2, 2.96 ERA) is set to start Monday, opening a three-game home series against the Cubs and LHP Matthew Boyd (5-3, 3.01).

Pirates: RHP Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.27) will take the mound in the first of a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB