Pirates vs Rockies Preview: Skenes Takes the Mound

Paul Skenes is the Pirates' ace. This young pitcher is already one of the best in all of baseball. When Skenes takes the mound, Pittsburgh has a real shot to win. He's ranked 13th in the majors. Right now his ERA sits at 6.64, but don't let that fool you. The Pirates lean on Skenes to dominate every single start. Behind him, veteran Mitch Keller provides steady support. Together they give Pittsburgh hope. Today at Coors Field, you'll watch Skenes battle a tough Colorado lineup. The Rockies hit hard at home. Skenes needs to be sharp.

The Rockies beat the Pirates 4-3 yesterday. It was a tight battle. Rumfield crushed a home run that rocketed 427 feet into the Colorado sky. The ball sailed over the wall and the crowd went wild. Then Pittsburgh fought back hard in the eighth inning. Valdez scored on Triolo's double. Reynolds slapped a single. Gonzales ripped a triple down the line. But Colorado answered right back. Fulford's double brought home two more runs. The Rockies held on. Now they're ready for Sunday's matchup at Coors Field. The Pirates come in at 38-38. Colorado is 29-47. This series is tight.

Pittsburgh is struggling right now. The Pirates are 38-38 overall, and they just dropped their last game. They've won only 4 of their last 10. But when Skenes pitches, anything can happen. The Pirates need this win badly. Colorado's Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the Rockies. He's a veteran pitcher from Japan with major championship experience. Sugano's ERA is 7.61 this season. The Pirates' lineup has weapons. Bryan Reynolds is on a hot 10-game hitting streak. Even with injuries piling up, Pittsburgh can strike at any moment. This game matters. Both teams need wins.