Then a hideous fifth inning by Lodolo and the Reds produced six Pittsburgh runs en route to a 7-0 Pirates victory.
The Pirates, last place in the National League Central, had lost 15 of their previous 18, but have pounded the Reds relentlessly over the past few seasons.
When the top of the fifth began, it was 0-0 and Lodolo had given up one hit, one walk and owned eight strikeouts.
His breaking ball was devastating after a between starts session with pitching coach Derek Johnson. It was discovered that Lodolo was lifting his index finger off the ball before delivering his curveballs, something he did to prevent the return on a blister that plagued him mid-season.
He retired the first hitter in the fifth, then walked .200 hitter Jared Triolo. He struck out Yasmani Grandal, his ninth strtikeout, and had two outs and one runner on base — one out from keeping it at 0-0.
Then he walked No. 9 hitter Michael A. Taylor, who was 0 for 14 with nine strikeouts. He followed that by hitting Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the Pirates had loaded the bases without a hit.
Brian Reynolds rolled one up the middle that shortstop Elly De La Cruz flipped backhanded to second but Taylor beat it and a run scored.
As the run scored, Taylor rounded second and was trapped behind second and third, an easy inning-ending out and only a 1-0 deficit. But third baseman Noelvi Marte, fearful another run would score during the rundown, took too long looking plateward and Taylor scrambled back to first.
Lodolo then hit Joey Bart, his second hit batsman of the inning, forcing in a second run.
That ended Lodolo’s night and Jakob Juris replaced him to face Bryan De La Cruz, who until Thursday hadn’t had an extra base hit since the Pirates since they acquired him from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline.
His double in the fourth inning was the only hit off Lodolo until the fifth. Facing Junis in the fifth, he hit another double, a three-run punch into the right field corner for a 5-0 lead.
O’Neil Cruz followed with a run-scoring single and it was 6-0. Connor Joe made his second out of the inning to end it.
So it was six runs, three hits, two walks, two hit batsman and a bungled rundown.
Lodolo’s line was a bizarre 4 1/3 innings, five runs, two hits, three walks, two hit batsmen and nine strikeouts.
Skenes, Pittsburgh’s rookie sensation, did not suffer Lodolo’s fate. He pitched six innings and gave up no runs, two hits, one walk and struck out nine.
The one walk was to De La Cruz with one out in the first. The last time Skenes faced the Reds earlier this season, he picked De La Cruz off first. And he did it again.
Spencer Steer singled with two outs, but TJ Friedl struck out.
In the second inning, Skenes struck out the side, all looking, due to Vanover’sw strike zone, which was as wide as the Allegheny River outside PNC Park.
Two new faces, both acquired in the last week, appeared in the Reds lineup — right fielder Amed Rosario and first baseman Dominic Smith.
Rosario, playing in place of Jake Fraley, who was placed in the injured list before the game, singled leading off the fifth when it was still 0-0, the second and last hit off Skenes. Santiago Espinal hit into a double play.
Rosario finished 1 for 3 with a strikeout and Smith struck out all three times he batted.
Pittsburgh’s final run came in the sixth, a home run by catcher Grandal, a former Reds No. 1 draft pick.
After Skenes departed, Ben Heller and Hunter Stratton held the Reds to no runs, three hits and a walk over the final three innings. Heller struck out four in his two innings.
About the Author