Mitch Keller Tosses Gem as Pirates Blank Rangers
The Pittsburgh Pirates evened up the series with the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night with a 4-0 victory thanks to their ace, Mitch Keller, returning to form.
In his previous two starts, Keller allowed a combined 15 runs in nine innings. Tonight, he gave up just two hits through the first seven innings before giving up a leadoff single in the eighth prior to being pulled by manager Derek Shelton. He tied a season-high with nine strikeouts on the evening, seven of which went down swinging.
His highlight of the night came in the bottom of the seventh when he flipped in a 2-2 sweeper that completely fooled Adolis Garcia. The pitch started at Garcia's hip and as he started to move out of the way, the pitch broke hard over the middle of the plate for strike three.
Mitch Keller stealing Adolis Garcia's Soul with his Sweeper. 👻 pic.twitter.com/L0k7DsCmme
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 21, 2024
Pittsburgh scored three of their runs in the fourth, an inning that was started by an Isiah Kiner-Falefa single. Bryan Reynolds and Joey Bart struck out in consecutive at-bats, momentarily taking away the sting of a leadoff hit. Connor Joe had an excuse me double down the right field line that was initially an RBI triple before the umpires conversed and determined that the ball hit a railing out of play, taking the run off the board and putting runners on second and third. Bryan De La Cruz picked up his third and fourth RBI as a Pirate by sending a high fastball into centerfield, scoring both Kiner-Falefa and Joe. Six pitches later, Oneil Cruz hit a deep fly ball to right center which Adolis Garcia mistimed, resulting in an RBI triple.
In the top half of the ninth, the Pirates added an insurance run off the bat of Jared Triolo, bringing home Rowdy Tellez who doubled in his pinch hit appearance for Connor Joe.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa 1-4
2. LF Bryan Reynolds 0-4
3. C Joey Bart 0-4
4. 1B Connor Joe 0-4
ph Rowdy Tellez 1-1, 2B
5. RF Bryan De La Cruz 1-4, 2 RBI
6. DH Oneil Cruz 2-3, 3B RBI, BB
7. 3B Jared Triolo 1-4, RBI
8. CF Michael A. Taylor 0-4
9. 2B Alika Williams 0-3
TEXAS RANGERS
1. 2B Marcus Semien 0-4
2. SS Corey Seager 0-4
3. LF Josh Smith 1-3
4. RF Adolis Garcia 0-3
5. 1B Nathaniel Lowe 0-3
6. 3B Josh Jung 1-3
7. DH Jonah Heim 0-3
8. C Carson Kelly 1-3
9. CF Leody Taveras 0-3
The Pirates and Rangers will conclude the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 2:35 p.m. EST. Tomorrow's starting pitchers have yet to be announced.
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN