PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - Mitch Keller picks up his 8th win of the season after the Pirates blank the Twins 3-0 at PNC Park.
It's Keller's 6th straight start where he earned the win. Per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, in Keller's last 6 starts he has a 1.13 ERA, 6 quality starts, batters are hitting .226 against him, 7 walks and 35 strikeouts.
Minnesota threatened in the first inning with two on and nobody out. Keller then got a fly out and two strikeouts to get out of the jam. In the top of the 5th, Minnesota had the bases loaded with one out and Keller struck out Royce Lewis and Max Kepler to keep the Twins off the scoreboard.
"He had to pitch out of a jam in the first, he had to pitch out of a jam in the fifth," said manager Derek Shelton. "We see why he continues to be a frontline starter. That's what frontline starters do. He gives up a base hit on a ground ball right through the middle, a walk and then it's first and second with the heart of the order and he gets out of it."
In the top of the 6th, the Twins had a runner on first with one out. Byron Buxton singled to left field making it runners on the corners. Bryan Reynolds looked like he was throwing the ball to third and Buxton took off for second base. Reynolds throw went to second base and they had Buxton hung up for the second out in a rundown. Carlos Santana flew out to end the inning.
"You didn't see him get sped up. We did a really good job he didn't get sped up in the 6th, Bryan made two great plays. He made the diving play and then he made the deke on the ball Buxton hit. We got one of the fastest guys out in a rundown. At no point did he look like he was not in control," said Shelton.
Keller went 6 innings, allowing 7 hits, walked 2 and struck out 8.
Oneil Cruz blasted his 9th home run of the season to open up the scoring for the Pirates in the bottom of the second inning. Nick Gonzales hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Reynolds in the bottom of the 4th and Connor Joe hit his 7th homer of the season in the bottom of the 8th.
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