Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has a rough outing against the Philadelphia Phillies, lasting four innings and allowing a season-high seven earned runs. Multiple reports describe the start as Skenes’ poorest performance of the year, during a Wednesday night matchup that is framed as a high-profile rematch between Skenes and Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. The game is played in humid conditions with temperatures in the 90s, and neither pitcher is said to perform at his usual level. Skenes takes his first loss of a recent stretch in this game, which is also connected to his earlier meeting with Wheeler and Philadelphia. That earlier game occurred May 17 at PNC Park, when the Phillies beat him and Wheeler was part of the matchup. After the four-inning start, Skenes’ outing ends short of his typical impact, with the seven earned runs marking the season high. The reports collectively emphasize both the statistical outcome of the start and the context of the Wheeler-Skenes rivalry matchup.