After back to back terrible series by the NL Central leading Pittsburgh Pirates all eyes were on the Bucs Monday night to see if the team will rebound against the Colorado Rockies who sit in last place in the NL West.
Mitch Keller took the hill on a warm day in Pittsburgh in hopes to get the Bucs back on track. He surrendered a two out hit to Pirates killer Kris Bryant which was his 1000th career hit in the top of the first. After striking out Ryan McMahon to end the inning the Bucs came up to bat trying to get their ice cold bats going. Ke’Bryan Hayes led the bottom of the first off with a sharp single to center and went nowhere after that. Bryan Reynolds made a loud out with a deep line drive to center, A strike em out throw em out double play ended in the inning with Andrew McCutchen at-bat.
In the second inning Keller did it all first by striking out two and then taking care of a soft dribbler back to the mound. The Bucs ace was dealing early in this game. During the bottom of the second inning it was more of the same for the Pirates with two two loud outs from Carlos Santana and Connor Joe. Even though the offense has been struggling it seemed their confidence was not lacking and eventually turn it around.
As for Keller he kept on dealing. After a fly out to left and another strike out, he found himself in danger after a Charlie Blackmon double yet Jurickson Profar hit a weak line drive up the middle that shortstop Chris Owings handled with ease.
The Pirates set the stage in the bottom of the third with Jack Suwinski drawing a walk after a nice battle at the plate and Owings singling to left. That brought up backstop Austin Hedges who attempted to lay a sacrifice bunt down which resulted in a force out of Suwinski third. That brought up Hayes again who grounded into a double play.
After retiring Bryant on a comebacker, Keller got a lineout to center by McMahon, and a line out of former Buccos backstop Elias Diaz. Still the Bucks kept hitting the ball hard that shortstop Ezequiel Tovar made plays on and the inning ended via strikeout on an automatic strike call on Santana for not beign ready in the box.
Rockies first basemen Mike Moustakas led the fifth off with a line drive up the middle for a single yet was quickly eliminated when Tovar grounded into a 4-6-3 twin killing which eliminated any potential threat. Santana redeemed himself by robbing Harold Castro of at least a single on a hard hit ball that he laid out for. The Pirates started the bottom half of the inning with Joe grounding out to third before second baseman Rodolfo Castro walked and Suwinski singled bringing up Owings who prior to the start of that inning recorded one of the Bucs’ only two hits. The count went full yet he struck out and the inning ended on a caught stealing.
Brenton Doyle did not waste time to start the top of the sixth as he swung at the first pitch and flew out to Joe in right. Blackmon followed it up with a flyout to left, which left Keller with two outs on three pitches. He proceeded to then walk Profar which brought up Bryant for his third at-bat of the evening and he sent a sharp line drive to right to put runners on first and second and McMahon coming up to hit with the best opportunity for the Rockies.
Keller had gotten himself in trouble yet was able to get himself out inducing McMahon to ground out to Santana.
Hedges opened the bottom half of the sixth lacing a double to the wall in deep center to start off the bottom of the sixth and bringing the top of the lineup up. Hayes singled on a ball that shortstop Tovar laid out for yet lost it on the transition to throw the baseball. The trouble was quickly erased as Reynolds hit into a double play. McCutchen drew a four pitch walk bringing up Santana again who hit into a fielder’s choice to end another prime opportuntity to put runs on the board.
For the top of the seventh Keller kept dealing with Diaz grounding out, Moustakas and Tozar struck out.
Joe singled to right to start of the bottom half of the seventh inning and the Bucs were able to put runs on the board as Castro hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot which ended the scoreless game.
Colorado’s starter Kyle Freeland who was still in the game bounced right back with a strike out of Suwinski and a groundout from Owings. Doyle then robbed Hedges of what was likely his second double of the night with a diving catch to end the inning.
Continuning his brilliant performance, Keller made quick work of the first two hitters of the top of the eighth. Getting a ground out from Castro and a deep fly out of Doyle. Blackmon got caught look to end the inning. Daniel Bard relieved Freeland in the eighth.
Freeland’s final line was seven innings pitched, two runs both earned, seven hits and four strikeouts. As for Bard he walked Hayes. Reynolds got the Bucs fans excited with a flyout to the deepest part of the park. McCutchen was up next put up a nice battle before finally striking out.
Hayes then got aught stealing for a second time in the game and resulted in the ending of the bottom half of the inning.
The stage was set for the young Buccos ace, Keller as he returned to the mound in the ninth looking for a complete game shutout. He started off strong by striking out Profar on three pitches. Bryant came up already with two hits yet this time flew out to right field. With one out remaining the Bucs’ home crowd came to life. McMahon was the last man between the Pirates and a win, and he ended up hitting a weak grounder up the middle to Castro who took care of it easily.
With Keller’s dominant performance he picked up the first complete game for the Pirates in 2023 and it was also the first of his career. He ended up giving up only four hits and striking out eight and his performance is definitely worthy of more than a gameball.