Pirates Complete Three-Game Sweep Over Dodgers Led by Paul Skenes

Paul Skenes delivered a dominant performance, pitching six shutout innings with two hits allowed and eight strikeouts to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, completing a three-game series sweep. Skenes improved to 10-9 with an MLB-best 1.98 ERA, strengthening his case for the National League Cy Young Award and marking his third consecutive win while allowing only one earned run over 19 innings. The Pirates have been strong recently, winning five of their last six games and 12 of 16, while the Dodgers have struggled, losing four of their last five. Despite a late rally attempt by the Dodgers, including a home run from Mookie Betts, the Pirates held on with effective relief pitching. Skenes, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, previously excelled at LSU, where he won several collegiate awards and was the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. His success continues to highlight his status as one of the brightest young stars in baseball and a major factor in the Pirates' recent resurgence.