Skenes Flirts With No-Hitter as Pirates Beat Padres 7-1

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes dominates San Diego through 6 innings.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:11am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery and a batter's swing broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, capturing the dynamic, multi-faceted nature of the sport.Skenes' dominant outing against the Padres showcases the fractured, multi-dimensional nature of elite pitching in today's game.Today in Pittsburgh

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes put together his second straight solid start, keeping the San Diego Padres hitless until the sixth inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates' 7-1 win on Tuesday night. Skenes struck out six and walked two in 6 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 5.54 on the season.

Why it matters

Skenes, one of the league's top young pitchers, is looking to bounce back after a rough opening day outing. This strong performance against a talented Padres lineup is an encouraging sign for the Pirates as they aim to build on their early-season success.

The details

Skenes was dominant, not allowing a hit until Fernando Tatis Jr. singled with one out in the sixth inning. Xander Bogaerts homered off Skenes in the seventh, but the 23-year-old left to a standing ovation after 6 1/3 innings. Oneil Cruz and Nick Gonzales provided the offense for the Pirates, who won for the sixth time in seven games.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
  • Skenes exited the game in the seventh inning.

The players

Paul Skenes

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, Skenes is one of the league's top young pitchers looking to bounce back after a rough start to the season.

Oneil Cruz

The Pirates' young shortstop, Cruz hit a two-run double in the fifth inning to help power Pittsburgh's offense.

Nick Gonzales

The Pirates' rookie second baseman, Gonzales added a two-run single in the eighth inning to extend Pittsburgh's lead.

Xander Bogaerts

The Padres' veteran shortstop, Bogaerts hit a solo home run off Skenes in the seventh inning to break up the no-hit bid.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres' star outfielder, Tatis Jr. recorded the first hit of the game for San Diego with a single in the sixth inning.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Skenes was absolutely dominant tonight. He's really starting to find his groove after a tough first outing.”

— Oneil Cruz, Pirates Shortstop

“We knew Skenes was going to be a challenge, but he was on another level tonight. We'll have to regroup and come back ready to go tomorrow.”

— Xander Bogaerts, Padres Shortstop

What’s next

The series wraps up on Wednesday, with Michael King starting for the Padres against Pittsburgh's Mitch Keller.

The takeaway

Skenes' dominant performance is a promising sign for the Pirates as they look to build on their early-season success. The young ace is rounding into form after a rough start, and his ability to shut down a talented Padres lineup bodes well for Pittsburgh's playoff aspirations.