PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – After little and fundamental mistakes by the Pirates in losses on Saturday and Sunday, the Bucs reversed it on Monday for an 8-2 decision over the Mets as Mitch Keller gets to double-digit wins.
Opportunistic is a good word to describe the Pirates during the series finale. For the first 5 innings, the Bucs had one hit, but it was a two-run homer by Oneil Cruz (109 mph, 431 feet into the Mets bullpen) to give the Bucs the lead. After the Mets tied it as Brandon Nimmo hammered a 3-0 pitch over the centerfield, the Pirates couldn’t get anything going.
With two outs in the sixth, Mets pulled starter Christian Scott, All-Star Bryan Reynolds worked a walk off Eric Orze. Facing a 2-2 count, Cruz fouled off a couple before lining a single to left. Rowdy Tellez hit one off the end of the bat that slowly rolled on the grass for an infield single and the Pirates retook the lead. Nick Gonzales followed that up by ripping one down the first base line for a double for a three-run lead. He would go to third on an error and score on a wild pitch. Next batter, Joshua Palacios homered to right, his first of the year.
The Bucs scored eight runs leaving only two runners on base, Jared Triolo stranded at first base in the seventh inning and Palacios on first in the eighth.
Keller double
It could be considered by some that Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller was a snub for the All-Star Game. The righty came out of the gate striking out the first three Mets (Francisco Lindor, Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez). Nimmo’s homer was the only blemish against Keller who would go 8 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, no walks and 6 strikeouts. He threw 79 of 107 pitches for strikes for his 10 th win of the season.
“Just tried to attack the zone and fill it up as much as possible, be on the aggression,” Keller said. “Good things will happen if you do that. Then Rowdy made some good plays, Jack made a really good play, Gonzo, Key there in the ninth -- just trying to think of all, I mean there's a bunch of spectacular plays made there. Reynolds catch to end the game there, that was huge. So everybody was clicking. It was a fun day.”
Keller said the emotion of not being picked for the All-Star Game did not factor into today, rather he dealt with the disappointment on Sunday and started fresh Monday.
“That was an all-star performance,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “He’s got 10 wins before the break with another start, eight innings. He made one bad pitch. The ball Bader hit debatably fell in probably because of where we were playing. He made one bad pitch in eight innings and it was hot and he had to sit through two long innings. If that’s not an all-star, I’m hard pressed to see what is.”
Cruz pulled
The Pirates shortstop was replaced last in the game as Shelton said when Cruz rounded the bases in the sixth on the ball athat Gonzales hit, his hamstring tightened up a bit. He said out of an abundance of caution they got him out of the game.
Up Next
Pirates start a road trip in Milwaukee with the first of three games, the Bucs have yet to name a starting pitcher with RHP Colin Rea (8-2, 3.34 ERA) starting for the Brewers. North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show begins at 7p with first pitch at 8:10 on 93.7 The Fan.
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