Phils' Abel outduels Skenes with 9 K's in debut

PHILADELPHIA -- Mick Abel outdueled Paul Skenes to win his major league debut, striking out nine over six innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday for a three-game sweep and their 15th win in 20 games.

Brandon Marsh grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice in the fifth against Skenes (3-5), who pitched a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk in his first complete game in 33 big league starts.

Skenes is 0-3 in his past four starts despite a 2.52 ERA in that span, and his 2.44 ERA this season is fifth among NL pitchers. The top pick in the 2023 amateur draft, Skenes had not pitched a complete game since June 2, 2023, for Louisiana State against Tulane in an NCAA tournament regional game.

Pittsburgh dropped to 3-13 in May and 15-32 this season. The Pirates are 3-6 since manager Derek Shelton was fired and replaced by bench coach Don Kelly.

Abel (1-0), a 23-year-old right-hander selected 15th by the Phillies in the 2020 draft, allowed five hits and walked none. The nine strikeouts tied a Phillies high for a debut, set by Curt Simmons against the New York Giants on Sept. 28, 1947.

Abel threw 62 of 84 pitches for strikes. His 33 four-seam fastballs averaged 97.3 mph, and he also threw 22 curveballs, 14 sliders, 11 sinkers and four changeups.

Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and Jordan Romano finished a six-hitter, with Romano striking out the side for his fifth save. Before the game, closer Jose Alvarado was suspended for 80 games following a positive test for external testosterone under Major League Baseball's drug-testing program.

Singles by Nick Castellanos and Max Kepler starting the fifth put runners on the corners, before Alec Bohm flied out and Marsh's ground out drove in the Phillies' only run. Bryce Harper's sixth-inning single in the sixth was the only other hit by the Phillies.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.