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Instant Reaction: Patrick Corbin outduels Paul Skenes in Blue Jays’ 5-2 victory
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Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
May 23, 2026, 18:13 EDT
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For the first time all season, the Toronto Blue Jays have won four consecutive games.
On Saturday afternoon, the Blue Jays picked up a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the series and their fourth consecutive game. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one!
Starting for the Blue Jays was Patrick Corbin, a big boost to the back of the Blue Jays’ rotation. On the other side, the reigning National League Cy Young winner, Paul Skenes, started for the Pirates. Giving up the first run of the game was Skenes. George Springer whiffed on two high fastballs, but didn’t miss on the third, taking the game’s best pitcher deep for a 1-0 lead.
Corbin had some traffic in the first and second inning, giving up two singles to kick start the top of the second. However, he got out of it with a strikeout, a flyout, and a pop out. The left-handed pitcher retired the next 14 Pirates in order, before giving up a two-out single to Bryan Reynolds. Marcell Ozuna hit a double to cash in the run, tying the game at one.
The left-handed pitcher’s afternoon ended after that, but Skenes returned to the mound for the bottom of the sixth. It didn’t go well. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a single, which was followed by Yohendrick Piñango’s single, his second hit of the game. Jesús Sánchez made up for his poor route on the run the Pirates scored in the top half of the inning, hitting his second double of the game for a 2-1 lead.
Ernie Clement’s single chased Skenes from the game while simultaneously giving the Jays a 3-1 lead. The two base runners were Skenes’ responsibility, and one of them was driven in as Andrés Giménez hit into a double play.
In the seventh, the Jays added a fifth run thanks to Tyler Heineman’s first home run of the season. It was a much needed home run not just for him, but the team, as the Pirates scored a run in the top of the eighth and brought the game-tying run to the plate. Thankfully, Adam Macko induced a ground out to end the threat.

Takeaways…

Who had Patrick Corbin outdueling Paul Skenes? What a great outing it was for the veteran lefty, going six innings with six strikeouts, no walks, and one earned run allowed. It was the first time Corbin went six innings and snapped a streak of two rough starts. Bonus points for his game-high 15 whiffs, doubling Skenes’ seven whiffs.
This game may go down as the turning point of the season. It was a game you’d expect from the 2025 Blue Jays, running up Skenes’ pitch count and hitting four doubles and a home run of the reigning National League Cy Young winner. The nine hits Skenes allowed were the most in a single start.
Jesús Sánchez had a strong game (mins the poor route in the top of the sixth), going 2-3 with two doubles and a run driven in. This season, he’s slashing .284/.321/.446 with five homers for a 112 wRC+. It was a great pick up, especially since he’s giving great at-bats in recent times.
The Blue Jays have now won a season-high four consecutive games, and George Springer is a huge reason as to why they’re performing as well as they have been recently. Since the start of the New York Yankees series on Monday, Springer has hit two doubles and three home runs. He’s now hit 65 career home runs to lead-off the game, 16 away from matching the late, great, Rickey Henderson.
When the Jays return to full health, there’s just no way that Yohendrick Piñango can be optioned again. The 24-year-old outfielder went 2-3 with his fourth double of the season. More importantly, he has been giving the Blue Jays 2025-esque at-bats, something they desperately need.
There also needs to be credit given to three of the four relievers used in this game. Braydon Fisher pitched a scoreless top of the seventh, striking out two and walking a batter. Yariel Rodríguez walked two and gave up a run, bringing his season ERA to 13.50, but Adam Macko got him out of the inning with a ground ball (after a hit by pitch).
Jeff Hoffman has been incredibly unlucky this season, but his peripheral statistics tell us that he’s been a solid pitcher this year. He picked up his fifth save in eight attempts, striking out the side and generating six whiffs in the top of the ninth, one fewer than Skenes who went 5+ innings.
This was a win that you look back on at the end of the season, but the Blue Jays will hunt for their first series sweep on Sunday. Dylan Cease makes the start, and that game will have a start time of 12:15 PM ET.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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