This season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have showcased a remarkable propensity for wasting quality starts and otherwise solid outings by their rotation thanks to minimal offensive production.

During his final start of May, Paul Skenes experienced a departure from that norm, when the Pirates plated 10 runs behind him.

However, Tuesday night vs. the Houston Astros saw a reversion to the Pirates’ frequent offensive struggles with Skenes on the hill. Despite Skenes delivering eight solid innings, the Pirates were shut out at PNC Park, 3-0.

Tuesday’s defeat in front of 15,891 fans was the Pirates’ 10th shutout suffered this season, most in MLB.

“I think, at the end of the day, we all got here by controlling what we can control,” Skenes said of the loss postgame. “I think it’s an acquired skill. Gotta get back to that no matter what the situation is, if it’s in-game, pitch to pitch, or large-scale stuff. Just gotta control what you can control.”

The Pirates (22-39) and Astros were scoreless and had a combined four hits entering the seventh inning, but Christian Walker jacked Skenes for a 394-foot solo shot to left field, putting Houston up 1-0.

Houston starter Lance McCullers (1-1, 4.44 ERA) allowed only two hits over six scoreless innings, striking out seven while picking up the win.

Skenes (4-6, 2.05 ERA) was charged with the loss despite allowing a lone run on three hits, striking out eight with a walk. He threw 68 of his 99 pitches for strikes, and his eight innings pitched tied a season high.

So is that “acquired skill” Skenes mentioned — focusing on what he can control — being tested at the moment in the face of another flat offensive performance by the Pirates?

“I think it gets tested every day,” Skenes said. “You look at what happened last game: I got 10 runs of support. I still got to go out there and put up zeroes. That’s controlling what I can control. It would be very easy for me to go out there, say (screw) it and start throwing stuff down the middle because I got 10 runs behind me.

“Win or lose, that’s what you have to do.”

In the ninth, Dennis Santana took over and allowed a towering, two-run homer to Isaac Paredes, which gave Houston some insurance and a 3-0 lead.

Skenes escaped a jam in the third without damage despite allowing a leadoff double to Jake Meyers.

After Cam Smith moved Myers to third with a groundout, Skenes walked Jacob Melton, putting runners on the corner with one out, but Jeremy Pena grounded into an inning-ending double play.

McCullers kept the Pirates hitless through the first 3 1/3 innings until Alexander Canario lined a full-count single into left field.

“The offspeed pitch, we weren’t seeing it real well,” manager Don Kelly said of McCullers. “He mixed in and out (and) commanded it, especially backdoor to lefties. Did a real good job with that and was effective mixing his fastball and his changeup in when he needed to for effect.”

Oneil Cruz batted in the fifth with one out after Isiah Kiner-Falefa managed the Pirates’ second hit of the evening, a single into left field.

Despite sending a foul ball into the Clemente Wall stands, Cruz struck out looking.

To the plate then came Andrew McCutchen, with Kiner-Falefa stealing second base shortly thereafter.

But McCutchen lined out to center field, ending the inning.

Skenes retired Houston in order in the fifth and sixth innings.

In the seventh, he left a sweeper over the middle of the zone for Walker, who did not miss, launching his eighth homer of the year for the game’s first run.

“It’s kind of one of those things where you can only do so much,” Skenes said. “(Walker) guessed right. That was enough today.”

In the seventh, Houston turned to reliever Shawn Dubin, who allowed a leadoff single to Nick Gonzales, but he was thrown out trying to steal second and the Pirates came up empty in the frame.

Kiner-Falefa got aboard in the eighth with a leadoff single but was erased at second base when Cruz hit into a forceout.

Cruz then attempted to steal second base and looked to have beaten Victor Caratini’s throw, but he overshot the bag on his slide and was tagged out by Jose Altuve.

McCutchen then lined out to center field, completing the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, down to their final three outs, the Pirates went down in order vs. Josh Hader.

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