Pirates Waste 5-Hour Game Day With Loss to Rays
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had an early lead, but a rain delay put them in a bad spot later on and then missed opportunities saw them miss out.
The Pirates fell to the Rays in extra innings at PNC Park, 8-7, which saw the game stopped for long period of time due to heavy rain. The game lasted six hours and 40 minutes long and the Pirates finished 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position, with 12 men left on base.
Pittsburgh has now split the series with Tampa Bay, as they took down the Rays 5-1 in the first game, but can still go out and win the series finale to take it.
The Pirates also fall to 12-9 this season and are now second in the National League Central Division.
Paul Skenes Dominates in Short Start
The Pirates honored right-handed starting pitcher Paul Skenes with his bobblehead release, making sure that every fan that came to the game.
Skenes honored the fans by putting in a strong performance, allowing just three hits over four scoreless innings, while posting five strikeouts over 64 pitches.
He only had one inning where he had some issues, as the Rays loaded the bases in the top of the second inning, but Skenes locked in and got out unscathed.
Skenes got a little lucky on the first ground out, which ended up as a runner's interference and no runs scoring, but then he struck out Rays shortstop Taylor Walls and got left fielder Chandler Simpson to ground out and keep them scoreless.
He also had four straight strikeouts, with the last two outs in the third inning and the first two outs in the fourth inning.
Skenes went with his four-seam fastball in this one and got three strikeouts on it, while also getting two strikeouts on his sinker. He also went with his sweeper, changeup and splitter in this one too.
Pitch | Usage | Average Velocity |
|---|---|---|
Four-Seam Fastball | 25/64 (39%) | 97.2 mph |
Sweeper | 13/64 (20%) | 84.0 mph |
Changeup | 10/64 (16%) | 89.3 mph |
Splitter | 10/64 (16%) | 93.9 mph |
Sinker | 6/64 (9%) | 96.9 mph |
Skenes brings down his ERA to a 3.27, with a 1.27 ERA over his last four starts, with just three earned runs over 21.1 innings pitched, with 22 strikeouts as well.
He looks like he's back to his best self, particularly after giving up five earned runs in the first inning on Opening Day vs. the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 26.
Pirates Bring Power Before Rain Delay
The Pirates didn't have a ton of offense before the rain delay, but did have two big hits that made all the difference.
Right fielder Ryan O'Hearn hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 90.4 mph cutter over the middle of the plate from Rays right-handed startng pitcher Drew Rasmussen and sending it 106.5 mph off the bat and 379 feet into the right field seats.
That marked O'Hearn's fourth home run of the season, his first since the 8-2 home win over the Baltimore Orioles on April 5, and also brought home left fielder Bryan Reynolds, who walked prior, to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna then followed O'Hearn in the bottom of the fourth inning, with a two-run home run himself.
Ozuna took a 96 mph sinker inside and turned on it, hitting it 103.9 mph off the bat and 387 feet into the left field bleachers, scoring O'Hearn who walked prior to make it a 4-0 lead.
It's been a great homestand for Ozuna, who now has a six-game hitting streak and eight hits, with two home runs, along with his three-run shot in the 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals on April 16.
Bullpen Blows Lead After Rain Delay
The Pirates eventually came back after an almost two-and-a-half hour rain delay and held a 4-0 lead, but their bullpen couldn't hold it.
Right-handed pitcher Cam Sanders, who the Pirates called up on April 17, made his sesaon debut for the team, following from Skenes.
Sanders walked a batter, but got back-to-back strikeouts and looked to escape the fifth inning unscathed.
He then gave up three straight hits and allowed two runs to the Rays, who halved the deficit at 4-2.
Left-handed pitcher Evan Sisk then came on in place of Sanders, who allowed a double and a single, scoring three runs and putting the Rays up 5-4.
The Pirates bullpen has had issues with blown leads in 2026 and this game was no different with two recent Triple-A call-ups in Sanders and Sisk struggling to give the Pirates what they needed.
Pittsburgh did end up getting some good showings from right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence, who got five outs over the seventh and eighth innings, and then left-handed pitcher Gregory Soto threw a scoreless eighth inning.
That was the second straight scoreless outing for Lawrence, after having four straight outings giving up a run, while Soto continues his sensational 2026, with a 0.77 ERA and seven consecutive scoreless appearances.
Pirates Force Game into Extra Innings
The Pirates had a few chances to tie the game after blowing the lead, but missed out earlier on.
Center fielder Oneil Cruz hit a double with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning and Ozuna hit a single with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Pirates didn't score either time.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe ledoff to the bottom of the eighth inning with a walk and then O'Hearn singled, putting two base runners on with one out.
Third baseman Nick Yorke then came through with a single on a full count and two outs, scoring Lowe from second base and tying the game up at 5-5.
First baseman Spencer Horwitz would strike out and then the Pirates didn't score in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the game to extra innings.
Pirates Fall in Extra Innings
Right-handed pitcher Isaac Mattson had another great showing for the Pirates, getting a line out, a pop out and a ground out to have a scoreless top of the 10th inning.
Lowe would hit a fly ball to left field, but it was surprisingly deep enough for the speed Cruz, who got to third base ahead of a poor throw from Simpson.
The Rays intentionally walked Reynolds and then Jake Mangum came up to pinch-hit against his former team, but they intentionally walked him as well.
Pittsburgh then missed out on getting the win, as both Ozuna and Yorke struck out, sending the game into the 11th inning.
Right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramírez got a ground out and then made a strong defensive play, flipping a bunt attempt back to catcher Henry Davis for an out at the plate.Ramírez then made a terrible throw on his pickoff attempt, which went past Horwitz and back into right field, which allowed Walls, who was stealing second base, to run all the way home and score to make it 6-5.
Horwitz ledoff the bottom of the 11th inning with a ground out, moving Yorke to third base, and shortstop Konnor Griffin hit a grounder, which scored Yorke to tie it up at 6-6.
Nick Gonzales came on as a pinch-hitter for Davis and then hit into a double play, sending the game into the 12th inning.
Ramírez had a great showing in the 12th inning, getting a ground out and then a double play, giving the Pirates a chance to win it in the bottom half.
The Pirates wasted that chance, as Cruz struck out, Lowe lined out and then Mangum struck out to end the inning.
Ramírez would give up a two-run home run to Rays center fielder Cedric Mullins to lead off the top of the 13th inning.
It was a 95.8 mph four-seam fastball that Ramírez left over the top half of the plate and Mullins sent it 103.9 mph off the bat and 403 feet into the right field seats to put the Rays up 8-6.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out, but Ramírez got a double play ball, which ended up as such after Simpson collided with Griffin.
Ozuna grounded out and then Yorke did the same, but moved Mangum to third base. Horwitz would walk and then Griffin came through with an RBI-single, trimming the deficit to 8-7.
Catcher Joey Bart had the chance to win the game, with Griffin stealing second base, but he struck out, giving the Rays an 8-7 win.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.