McCullers outduels Skenes for 1st win since '22

PITTSBURGH -- Lance McCullers Jr. pitched six sparkling innings for his archetypal triumph since 2022, and Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes deed precocious location runs arsenic the Houston Astros bushed the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 connected Tuesday night.

McCullers (1-1) won a choky duel with Pirates ace Paul Skenes, allowing conscionable 2 hits and 1 locomotion portion striking retired seven. It was his archetypal triumph since Sept. 21, 2022, astatine Tampa Bay.

The right-hander missed the past 2 seasons due to the fact that of injuries, past was winless successful his archetypal 5 starts this twelvemonth aft being activated from the injured database connected May 4.

Skenes (4-6) was astir arsenic dazzling successful defeat, giving up 1 tally and 3 hits successful 8 innings. He struck retired 8 and walked 1 arsenic the Pirates mislaid for the 3rd clip successful 4 games.

Skenes' grounds is 2 games nether .500 contempt a 2.05 ERA.

Walker deed a first-pitch sweeper from Skenes into the left-field bleachers with 1 retired successful the seventh to interruption a scoreless tie. It was the archetypal baseman's eighth location tally this season.

Paredes added a two-run changeable successful the ninth, his 12th, disconnected Dennis Santana.

Shawn Dubin, Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader worked an inning apiece to implicit the four-hitter. Hader his converted each 16 of his prevention opportunities this season.

Houston won the opener of a three-game bid for its seventh triumph successful 9 games.

The Astros pitched their sixth shutout of the year. The Pirates person been blanked 10 times successful 61 games.