Pirates Host Phillies in Series Finale at PNC Park

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Pittsburgh Pirates (25-40) will take on the Philadelphia Phillies (37-27) in the final game of their three-game series on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at PNC Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on MLB Network.

Entering this game, the Phillies have lost four consecutive matches, including the first two games of this series against the Pirates. They have recently struggled offensively, scoring only one run in three of their last four games. In Saturday’s match, the Phillies lost 2-1 as designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hit his 20th home run but their offense managed only four hits.

Starting pitcher Ranger Suarez suffered his first loss of the season despite a solid outing, allowing just two runs on five hits over seven innings. The Phillies, who lead the season series 3-2 against the Pirates, are hoping to turn their luck around.

The Pirates, meanwhile, have won three of their last four games. Starting pitcher Andrew Heaney pitched six strong innings on Saturday, allowing just the Schwarber homer and three other hits. The bullpen stepped up by pitching three perfect innings, with reliever David Bednar securing his eighth save of the season.

This Sunday, Cristopher Sanchez (5-1, 3.15 ERA) will take the mound for the Phillies against Paul Skenes (4-6, 2.05 ERA) of the Pirates. Sanchez has a WHIP of 1.31 and has averaged impressive strikeout and walk rates. Skenes has been dominant in his outings, posting a 0.88 WHIP and limiting runs scored against him.

The stakes are high for the Pirates, as they seek their first sweep of the season against the struggling Phillies. Although the Phillies have performed well with Sanchez starting, the Pirates also hold a strong home record, making this matchup an interesting one for bettors.

The betting lines for this game show the Phillies as underdogs at +102, while the Pirates are favored at -122. With a total set at 6.5 runs, the matchup between these two teams could hinge on their respective pitching performances.