The Pittsburgh Pirates kicked off their season with a bang, thanks to Brandon Lowe's two-run homer in his first at-bat for the team. But the excitement quickly turned into a challenge.
In a tough outing, Paul Skenes faced his first career hurdle, unable to escape the first inning in an 11-7 loss to the New York Mets. Everything seemed to go awry for the Pirates after a promising start.
Skenes struggled, giving up five runs on four hits and two walks, managing just two outs before being pulled after 37 pitches. A couple of defensive missteps by Oneil Cruz didn't help his cause.
With the Pirates up 2-1 and the bases loaded, Skenes got Brett Baty to hit a fly ball to center. Cruz, however, misjudged it, turning a potential out into a bases-clearing triple.
Moments later, Marcus Semien hit another fly ball that Cruz lost in the sun, allowing another run to score. These errors wiped out the Pirates' early lead and set the tone for a challenging game.
Trailing 5-2, Skenes managed to strike out Carson Benge but hit Francisco Alvarez, ending his day on the mound.
Yohan Ramirez stepped up in relief, delivering 2.1 solid innings with three strikeouts, but the bullpen couldn't hold the line, giving up six more runs. Mason Montgomery, Isaac Mattson, and Justin Lawrence each allowed two runs.
Despite the setbacks, the Pirates' offense showed promise with 10 hits. Lowe, making an unforgettable debut, smashed his second homer in the third inning, joining an exclusive club as the seventh Pirate to homer twice on Opening Day.
Henry Davis added to the excitement with a double down the left field line in the fifth, bringing home Nick Gonzales, who had a two-hit day. Ryan O’Hearn also made his mark with a powerful opposite-field homer in the sixth, his first as a Pirate after hitting 17 last season.
Lowe, O’Hearn, and Gonzales each contributed two hits, providing a glimpse of the potential in the Pirates' lineup.
The Pirates will look to bounce back in game two of the series on Saturday, with Mitch Keller taking the mound, aiming to steer the team back on track.