Paul Skenes ends seven-start winless drought, Henry Davis homers in Pirates' 1-0 victory over Angels

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings for his first win since July 19 and Henry Davis hit a home run to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 on Sunday.

Skenes (10-11) gave up four hits, struck out two and walked one. The 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner had gone seven consecutive outings without a win since beating Cleveland in his first start after the All-Star break.

Gregory Soto, Carmen Mlodzinski, Camilo Doval and Mason Montgomery finished the five-hitter. Montgomery earned his 10th save.

It marked the first time Skenes faced the Angels, the team he grew up rooting for in Orange County.

Davis pulled a home run down the left-field line in the third inning, his ninth of the season, off Walbert Urena (9-10), who was a tough-luck loser while pitching his first career complete game and the Angels’ first of the season.

Urena, a rookie, allowed only one run and three hits with four strikeouts and one walk in eight innings. Brandon Lowe had two of the hits.

Skenes also got a big play from the Pirates’ defense in the fifth inning when Zach Neto was thrown out trying to score the tying run from first base on Mike Trout’s two-out double. Second baseman Lowe’s relay throw from center fielder Oneil Cruz cut down Neto.

The Pirates took two of three games from the Angels to win four straight series for the first time since 2024. The Halos lost for 11th time in 13 games.

Angels: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (4-6, 6.03 ERA) starts against the Red Sox on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series in Boston.

Pirates: Off Monday, then open a three-game series against the AL Central-leading White Sox on Tuesday night in Chicago, with RHP Bubba Chandler (6-9, 4.03) facing RHP Sean Burke (8-6, 3.20).

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis, right, tags out Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto, left, who was trying to score during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Walbert Ureña delivers against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis celebrates as he rounds the bases on his home run off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Walbert Ureña during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners called up infielder-outfielder Michael Arroyo from Triple-A for Sunday's game against the Athletics.

The 21-year-old started at second base and batted eighth in the lineup in his MLB debut, going 0 for 3 in a 2-0 win over the A's before being lifted for a defensive replacement.

Arroyo, a native of Colombia, was batting .283 with 18 home runs, 81 RBIs and 17 stolen bases over a combined 114 games between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma.

Arroyo said he first learned of his promotion via a phone call from his former minor league teammate Lazaro Montes, who was called up to the Mariners from Tacoma on Sept. 1.

“You never stop trying to believing in yourself,” Arroyo said through an interpreter before the game. "You have that confidence in yourself and in your game. And thank God it was able to happen.”

Mariners manager Dan Wilson said he was excited to see what the team has in Arroyo, who is ranked as the No. 45 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and third in the Mariners' system.

“I love the fact that he’s a type of hitter that will use the whole field,” Wilson said. “He has a really good sense for putting up a good at-bat like our guys do, and so it’s great to have him.”

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Seattle Mariners shortstop Michael Arroyo attends a news conference in the dugout before his major league debut against the Athletics, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Eric Hiller)

Seattle Mariners' Michael Arroyo looks on during his first major league at-bat during the third inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Eric Hiller)

Seattle Mariners second baseman Michael Arroyo throws to first base off a ground ball hit by Athletics' Alika Williams during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Eric Hiller)