The Pittsburgh Pirates entered Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs with confidence. Andrew MCcutchen just moved up in the Pirates' record book and Paul Skenes was scheduled to start the game, and he dominated once again. However, he left a 0-0 ball game after five innings. The game was tight down the stretch, but the Pirates scored the first run of the game in the eighth inning. However, Pittsburgh nearly had a costly mistake.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Pirates got Pete Crow-Armstrong into a rundown instead of getting Kyle Tucker out at home.

Tucker scored, which ended up sending the game into extra innings. Luckily for Pittsburgh, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa hit an RBI sac fly in the tenth inning and David Bednar shut the Cubs down to secure the win.

The blunder was almost another addition to a long line of tough moments for the Pirates this season. One of the best ways to view their struggles is through Skenes' performance so far this season. The 23-year-old All-Star has an ERA of 1.78 across 15 starts this season. However, he has a 4-6 record to show for it thanks to playing alongside one of the worst offenses in the league.

Pittsburgh entered the season with a lot of optimism. The National League Central figured to be a competitive division in 2025. For the most part, it has lived up to the hype, with one key difference. Experts thought the St. Louis Cardinals would be at the bottom of the division instead of the Pirates.

Article Continues Below
More Pittsburgh Pirates News
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fourth inning at PNC Park.
MLB rumors: Paul Skenes trade suitors won’t stop making ‘serious’ trade offers to PiratesPreston Byers ·
Pirates news: How Andrew McCutchen surpassed Roberto Clemente in Pittsburgh record books
How Andrew McCutchen surpassed Roberto Clemente in Pirates record booksChris Spiering ·
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Tanner Rainey (27) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning.
Pirates agree to contract with ex-Nationals pitcherJosh Davis ·
Sandy Alcantara and Andrew Heaney together.
2025 MLB trade deadline: 5 players most likely to be movedBailey Bassett ·
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) walks in from the bullpen before the Pirates host the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park.
Paul Skenes’ Pirates record vs. ERA combo is mind-blowingRexwell Villas ·
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (45) exits the game with trainer Rafael Freitas (right) after Heaney suffered an apparent injury pitching against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at PNC Park.
Pirates’ Andrew Heaney exits vs. Phillies after injury scareAlex House ·

The Cubs, on the other hand, had an uncharacteristically quiet game at the plate. Some of that is because of Skenes' dominance, but Chicago scores as well as any team in the league. Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong are in NL MVP conversations and the Cubs hold a 5.5 game lead in their division.

Despite a questionable moment in a big spot, Pittsburgh won the series opener. If they have a good showing against Chicago, they could build momentum. They will need it, as five of their next six series are against teams with a winning record. The only relief they will get is a home series against the Texas Rangers.

How the Pirates navigate the next three weeks will say a lot about their future. Pittsburgh and Skenes face trade rumors as they continue to struggle. Going on a winning streak would do a lot to quiet that noise.

In order to do so, the Pirates need to make sure what happened in Friday's game does not become a habit.