Paul Skenes led the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers with an impressive performance, pitching 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts. Despite Yoshinobu Yamamoto's previous success, he struggled, giving up five hits and three runs in five innings, including one earned run. The Pirates capitalized on Yamamoto's early struggles, scoring in the first inning with Emmanuel Valdez's RBI single and adding runs in the fifth with contributions from Oneil Cruz and Ke'Bryan Hayes. Skenes, originally from Orange County, performed well under pressure in front of family and friends, allowing only one runner to reach third base. The Pirates' bullpen completed the shutout with David Bednar earning the save, while the Dodgers continued their losing streak, having lost four of their last five games.

Paul Skenes delivered a dominant performance for the Pirates, pitching 6 1/3 innings with a season-high nine strikeouts and allowing only five hits, effectively neutralizing the Dodgers' lineup.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had an impressive 19-inning run of allowing only one unearned run, struggled in this game, conceding five hits, four walks, and three runs over five innings.

The Pirates took an early lead against Yamamoto, with Oneil Cruz walking, stealing second, and scoring on Emmanuel Valdez's single in a 32-pitch first inning.

In the fifth inning, Henry Davis reached second on Max Muncy's error and scored on Cruz's powerful single, while Ke'Bryan Hayes added another RBI single, increasing the lead.

Paul Skenes excelled in high-pressure situations, striking out stars like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts multiple times, and preventing Freddie Freeman from scoring after a leadoff double and subsequent advancement to third.

The Pirates' bullpen maintained the shutout, with three relievers and David Bednar securing the victory, marking Pittsburgh's third shutout win in their last eight games.

The Dodgers, struggling at home, have now lost three consecutive games and four of their last five, highlighting their current slump as they continue their homestand.