Skenes survives rainy bobblehead day with scoreless showing

Rookie pitcher Paul Skenes delivers four scoreless innings before rain delay in Pittsburgh

Apr. 18, 2026 at 11:23pm

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Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes made his fifth start of the season on his own bobblehead day at PNC Park, throwing four scoreless innings before a rain delay halted play with the Pirates leading the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0. Skenes struck out five batters without issuing a walk on 64 pitches, overcoming a shaky second inning to settle in and dominate the Rays lineup.

Why it matters

Skenes, one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, has been a bright spot for the rebuilding Pirates this season. His strong outing on bobblehead day, a popular promotion that draws large crowds, showcased his talent and potential in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

The details

Skenes got off to a bit of a rocky start, allowing a leadoff single in the second inning and then reaching on a catcher's interference and single to load the bases with one out. But he struck out Taylor Walls looking and got Chandler Simpson to ground out to first to escape the jam. From there, Skenes cruised, needing just 25 pitches to get through the third and fourth innings. The Pirates provided him with an early 4-0 lead on a two-run homer by Ryan O'Hearn in the first and a two-run blast by Marcell Ozuna in the third.

  • The game started just after 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
  • Skenes was removed from the game following a nearly two and a half hour rain delay in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The players

Paul Skenes

A 23-year-old rookie pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who was making his fifth start of the season on his own bobblehead day at PNC Park.

Ryan O'Hearn

A Pirates outfielder who hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give the team an early 2-0 lead.

Marcell Ozuna

A Pirates outfielder who hit a two-run home run in the third inning to extend the team's lead to 4-0.

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What they’re saying

“It was just a really special day all around, with the bobbleheads and the big crowd. I'm glad I was able to give the fans something to cheer about early on before the rain came.”

— Paul Skenes, Pirates Pitcher

What’s next

The game is scheduled to resume on Sunday afternoon, with the Pirates looking to complete the victory and give Skenes his fifth win of the season.

The takeaway

Skenes' strong outing on his own bobblehead day showcased his potential as a top pitching prospect and provided an exciting moment for the Pirates' rebuilding efforts, even as the game was ultimately delayed by rain.