Pirates ace Paul Skenes gets chased in the 1st inning by the Mets on opening day

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Skenes didn’t even get through the first inning on opening day.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs and got only two outs Thursday against the New York Mets, putting the Pittsburgh Pirates in an early hole at Citi Field.

Hurt by shoddy defense from Oneil Cruz in center field, Skenes was pulled by manager Don Kelly after throwing 37 pitches as the Mets batted around. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed four hits and two walks. He also hit a batter with a pitch in what was by far the shortest of his 56 major league starts.

The five runs Skenes permitted matched his career high. The two-time All-Star also gave up five in six innings on April 8, 2025, against St. Louis.

Handed a 2-0 lead on Brandon Lowe’s two-run homer, Skenes walked Mets leadoff man Francisco Lindor in the bottom of the first. Juan Soto followed with a soft single, and Bo Bichette lofted a sacrifice fly.

Jorge Polanco nubbed an infield single, and Skenes walked Luis Robert Jr. on 10 pitches. After pitching coach Bill Murphy visited the mound, Cruz misplayed Brett Baty’s line drive into a bases-loaded triple, coming in a couple of steps before letting the ball sail over his head.

Marcus Semien then popped up to shallow center, but Cruz lost the ball in the sun and it dropped beside him for an RBI double that gave New York a 5-2 lead.

Cruz is a converted shortstop who began playing center field in 2024 before becoming a full-time outfielder last year.

Carson Benge struck out on three fastballs clocked 96-98 mph in his first big league plate appearance, but Skenes grazed No. 9 batter Francisco Alvarez with an 0-1 sinker and that was the end of his afternoon.

Mets fans roared as Skenes walked slowly off the mound toward the dugout.

Yohan Ramírez relieved and prevented further damage by retiring Lindor on a flyball with runners at second and third.

Skenes made his second opening-day start as he begins his third major league season. He became the eighth starting pitcher since at least 1906 to allow five or more runs in less than an inning in a season opener.