Final Score: Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Toronto Blue Jays 2 Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA | First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET | Weather: 79°F
Looking for the complete Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays match player stats from August 18, 2025? You are in the right place. Paul Skenes put on a masterclass against the AL East leaders, Henry Davis quietly had the biggest swings of the night, and Toronto’s defense simply fell apart when it mattered most. Here is everything that went down, number by number.
Table of contents
- Final Score and Quick Game Summary
- Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Stats
- Toronto Blue Jays Pitching Stats
- Pittsburgh Pirates Batting Stats
- Toronto Blue Jays Batting Stats
- Inning by Inning Scoring Breakdown
- Key Moments Worth Knowing
- Pitching Matchup Analysis: Skenes vs Gausman
- Skenes’ Pitch Breakdown This Game
- Context: What This Game Meant for Both Teams
- Player Performance Ratings: August 18, 2025
- Head to Head Historical Context
- Final Takeaways
Final Score and Quick Game Summary
| Category | Toronto Blue Jays | Pittsburgh Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 2 | 5 |
| Hits | 5 | 8 |
| Errors | 3 | 0 |
| Left on Base | 5 | 4 |
| Stolen Bases | 1 | 4 |
| Double Plays | 2 | 1 |
The Pirates won their second game out of the last nine. The Blue Jays, sitting at the top of the AL East heading into this game, handed Pittsburgh the win partly through their own mistakes: three errors, a wild pitch, and a bench-clearing almost-brawl in the seventh. It was exactly the kind of night that haunts playoff contenders in late August.
Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Stats
| Pitcher | Decision | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | Pitches | Strikes | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Skenes | ND | 6.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 96 | 65 | 2.16 |
| Evan Sisk | W (1-1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 10 | |
| Kyle Nicolas | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 10 | ||
| Dennis Santana | SV (8) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 |
Ground Balls / Fly Balls: Skenes 7-4 | Nicolas 2-0 | Santana 1-0 Batters Faced: Skenes 24 | Sisk 3 | Nicolas 3 | Santana 4
Skenes came in off a rough start against Milwaukee where he gave up four earned runs in four innings. That bad outing was a blip. Here, against the best team in the AL East, he threw 96 pitches, went six deep, struck out eight, and posted a game score of 51. His ERA ticked slightly up to 2.16, but he still leads all of baseball in that category.
The four-seamer was the story. He threw it 51 of his 96 pitches and got a season-high 10 whiffs on that one pitch alone. When a pitcher gets 10 swings and misses on a fastball in one outing, hitters know what is coming and still cannot hit it. That is a different level.
“The metrics are one thing, executing a pitch is another. They’re big league hitters. They’re really good. They can hit good pitches, unicorn pitches or whatever you want to call them, pitches that have extremely good stuff grades or whatever it is.” Paul Skenes, postgame
This was also the first time in Skenes’ career he had faced the Blue Jays in the regular season. First time out, and he held the AL leader to two runs over six innings. Not a bad introduction.
Toronto Blue Jays Pitching Stats
| Pitcher | Decision | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | Pitches | Strikes | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Gausman | 4.1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 96 | 61 | ||
| Yariel Rodriguez | L (2-1) | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 16 | |
| Brendon Little | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 5 | ||
| Sem Dominguez | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 16 |
Wild Pitch: B. Little (5) Errors Charged: T. Heineman (7), B. Little (2), S. Dominguez Inherited Runners Scored: Little 1-1 | Dominguez 0-2 First-Pitch Strikes / Batters Faced: Gausman 13/18 | Game Score: 45
Gausman threw 96 pitches in 4.1 innings, so the volume was there but the efficiency was not. He was working with contact all night (11 groundballs, just 1 flyball) but once he left, the bullpen started leaking. Rodriguez gave up the go-ahead run in the seventh. Little uncorked the wild pitch that scored Henry Davis. Then Dominguez watched an inherited runner score via an error. It was a collective bullpen breakdown, not one single moment.
Pittsburgh Pirates Batting Stats
| Player | Pos | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | SB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Horwitz | 1B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2H, 2B (17) |
| Tommy Pham | LF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | SB (5) |
| Bryan Reynolds | RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | RBI (62) |
| Nick Gonzales | 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Andrew McCutchen | DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jared Triolo | SS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | SB (8) |
| Alexander Canario | CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | RBI (14), SB (3) |
| Henry Davis | C | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2B, SF (2), RBI (16) |
| Isiah Kiner-Falefa | 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | SH (4) |
Team LOB: 4 | RISP: 2 for 7 | SB: Pham (5), Triolo (8), Canario (3), Peguero (2) Key Extra Bases: Horwitz 2B (17, off Gausman)
Spencer Horwitz went 2 for 3 as the leadoff man, which is notable because Horwitz is a former Blue Jay. He played for Toronto before Pittsburgh picked him up, and there is a certain satisfaction in going 2 for 3 off your old team’s starter in a game your new team wins.
Henry Davis was the difference-maker who will not show up on highlights. His lead-off double in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie. Then in the eighth, he put Pittsburgh up by three with a sacrifice fly. Two at-bats, two clutch moments. That is what catchers who can hit do in these spots.
Toronto Blue Jays Batting Stats
| Player | Pos | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Springer | RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Addison Barger | 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2B (26, off Skenes), GIDP |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | RBI (69), Exit 5th inn. |
| Bo Bichette | SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | RBI (82), 2-Out RBI |
| Davis Schneider | LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Tyler Heineman | C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | E (7) |
| Ernie Clement | 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nathaniel Lowe | DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Dasan Brown / Lukes | CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SB Lukes (2) |
| Andy Lukes | PR/CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SB (2) |
Team LOB: 5 | RISP: 1 for 3 (Heineman 0-1, Guerrero Jr. 0-1, Bichette 1-1) Errors: Heineman (7), Little (2), Dominguez (1) | Double Plays: 2 (Gausman-Bichette-Guerrero Jr.; Bichette-Gimenez-Guerrero Jr.)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in a run but then exited in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness. He had gone into a full split to field a wide throw from Bichette to end the fourth. The injury scare during a pennant race is a storyline that will loom large for Toronto going forward. Bo Bichette came through with a 2-out RBI single in the third, but once the bullpen took over for Gausman, the offense went quiet.
Inning by Inning Scoring Breakdown
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Blue Jays | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | X | 5 | 8 | 0 |
The scoring tells the whole story. Toronto’s two runs came in the third and came via a Guerrero RBI fielder’s choice and a Bichette 2-out single. Pittsburgh answered in the fifth with two runs, then Davis broke the tie in the seventh. Two more insurance runs in the eighth sealed it. The Pirates did not commit a single error all night. Toronto committed three.
Key Moments Worth Knowing
The Third Inning (TOR 2-0) Skenes ran into trouble. Guerrero hit an RBI fielder’s choice, then Bichette drove in another with a 2-out single. For context, this was the first time since June 3 that a team had scored an earned run against Skenes at PNC Park. That streak ended in the third.
Fifth Inning (PIT 2-2 Tie) Pittsburgh answered and leveled the score at two. The Pirates were applying pressure all night against Gausman, working counts and putting the ball in play.
Seventh Inning (PIT 3-2) Henry Davis doubled to lead off the seventh against Rodriguez. One wild pitch from Brendon Little later, Davis scored. Pittsburgh took the lead. What made it messier: benches briefly cleared when Tommy Pham and catcher Tyler Heineman got into a verbal exchange after Pham drew a walk. The umpires got it under control quickly, but the tension was real.
Eighth Inning (PIT 5-2) Davis came up with runners on and drilled a deep sacrifice fly to right. Two errors in the inning added another run to Pittsburgh’s total. Springer singled with one out, but Nicolas got Barger to ground into a double play and ended any threat.
Pitching Matchup Analysis: Skenes vs Gausman
Both starters entered this game with high expectations. Gausman is a veteran innings-eater. Skenes is the most talked-about young arm in baseball. On paper, it was a marquee pitching duel.
In execution, it was close but not equal:
- Skenes threw 96 pitches, faced 24 batters, got 8 strikeouts, and left with a 2-2 score after six solid innings.
- Gausman threw the same 96 pitches but only got through 4.1 innings, faced 21 batters with 6 strikeouts, and left with a game score of 45 vs Skenes’ 51.
The efficiency gap between the two starters was what opened the door for Pittsburgh. Once Gausman exited, Toronto’s bullpen did the rest of the damage to their own cause.
Skenes’ Pitch Breakdown This Game
| Pitch Type | Usage | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Four-Seam Fastball | 51 of 96 pitches (53%) | Season-high 10 whiffs on four-seamer alone |
| Changeup | Secondary weapon | 4 strikeouts with this pitch |
| Sweeper / Other | Mixed in late | Kept hitters off-balance through innings 4-6 |
“I think the consistency of which he takes the time in between starts is what makes him so good.” Henry Davis, on Paul Skenes
“I didn’t even know it was that long. I think sometimes he goes out there and he’s so good so often that you kind of come to expect it, which is completely unfair to him because that’s not baseball.” Pirates manager Don Kelly
Context: What This Game Meant for Both Teams
For Pittsburgh: The Pirates entered this game having won just one of their previous eight. A win over the best team in the AL East, at home, with zero errors and a shutdown bullpen performance, is the kind of win that can reset a struggling club’s mindset. Spencer Horwitz going 2-for-3 against his old team added a feel-good subplot. The bullpen converting Skenes’ no-decision into an actual win was big for Evan Sisk personally too, earning his first career win.
For Toronto: They came in as AL East leaders, and they left with a loss, three errors, and a Vladdy Guerrero hamstring concern. The errors in the eighth directly led to a run. The bullpen gave up three of Pittsburgh’s five runs. Kevin Gausman’s early exit was not ideal, but it was the events after he left that really hurt. This is a team with World Series ambitions, and nights like this one need to be exceptions rather than habits. More Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays head to head stats are available at matchvsplayerstats.com
Player Performance Ratings: August 18, 2025
| Player | Team | Performance Rating | Standout Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Skenes | PIT | A | 8 K, 2.16 ERA, 51 game score |
| Henry Davis | PIT | A | 2B, SF, 2 RBI, go-ahead run scored |
| Spencer Horwitz | PIT | B+ | 2H, 2B, 1 BB vs. former team |
| Dennis Santana | PIT | A | SV 8, 8 pitches, clean ninth |
| Evan Sisk | PIT | A | W, scoreless 7th inning |
| Bo Bichette | TOR | C+ | 1H, 1 RBI, 2-out single but limited impact |
| Kevin Gausman | TOR | C | 4.1 IP, early exit, 96 pitches |
| Tyler Heineman | TOR | D | Error led to run, key miscue |
| Brendon Little | TOR | D | Wild pitch, inherited runner scored |
Head to Head Historical Context
The Blue Jays have historically dominated this matchup. In 46 games since 2003, Toronto leads 27 wins to 15 for Pittsburgh. The Blue Jays average 4.9 runs per game in these meetings against Pittsburgh’s 3.7. This win did not flip that history, but it showed that Pittsburgh can compete with top-tier AL competition, especially when Skenes is on the mound.
For more in-depth player stat breakdowns and historical matchup data, CBS Sports MLB Gametracker has the full official box score. The official MLB game recap covers Skenes’ pitching approach in further detail. Baseball Reference tracks his full 2025 splits and season progression. For advanced pitch data on Skenes’ four-seamer usage and whiff rates, Pitcher List breaks it down with Statcast-level metrics.
Final Takeaways
A few things you should take away from this Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays match player stats breakdown:
- Paul Skenes is legit. Eight strikeouts, 96 pitches, six innings, 2.16 ERA for the season. Even in a no-decision he was the best pitcher on the field.
- Henry Davis was the actual game-winner. The double, the sacrifice fly, the go-ahead moment. He deserves more credit than he gets.
- Toronto’s errors cost them the game. You do not beat a team with clean defense and a sharp bullpen when you make three errors and allow a wild pitch to score the go-ahead run.
- The seventh inning was the turning point. Once Davis doubled and Little threw the wild pitch, the game was effectively over.
- Sloppy Toronto baseball handed Pittsburgh wins they could not manufacture on their own. In a pennant race, that matters.
The Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays match player stats from August 18, 2025 tell the story of a pitcher at the top of his game, a catcher who came through when it counted, and an AL contender whose defense betrayed them on a Monday night in Pittsburgh.
