PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Mitch Keller unable to post two straight decent outings. Keller throws 83 pitches (44 strikes) in two and a third innings, walking five, three hits and four runs as the Pirates lost to Kansas City 9-6.
“They continued to stretch out at bats,” said manager Derek Shelton. “We just didn’t execute the final put away pitch and they continued to extend at bats.”
Falling behind 6-0, the Pirates got it back to 6-5 with three runs in the fourth and a pair in the fifth leaving the bases loaded. Erik Gonzalez hit a 453-foot, 109.7 mph, 2-run homer on a 1-2 pitch and then Jacob Stallings followed it up with his first.
Stallings did get an assist from outfielder Michael A. Taylor who jumped to catch it just before hitting the wall in the North Side Notch. With his glove over the wall, the force of hitting that wall caused the ball to pop out of his glove and over the fence for a home run.
Royals would get three runs off Chris Stratton in the sixth, that inning keyed by an Adam Frazier throwing error.
Keller odds
It’s odd, because Keller has stunk in starts 1, 3 and Wednesday was start 5 on the season. He’s combined for 8.2 innings in those 3 starts giving up 14 runs on 14 hits, walking 12 and striking out 7. He evens that out with 10 innings, 3 runs, 1 walk and 12 strikeouts in starts 2 and 4.
“We have to continue to get the fastball in the zone,” Shelton said. “I don’t know how many he threw. The starts that he’s been effective the fast ball has been in the zone. Tonight he wasn’t in the zone.”
Keller is now 1-3 on the season with an 8.20 ERA with 13 walks and 19 strikeouts.
“He’s working his butt off between starts and right now it’s not translating as much as he would like,” Shelton said. “I think there is some frustration because he is putting in hard work and not seeing fruits of it.”
“He’s a bulldog and a competitor,” said Todd Frazier about Keller. “I just think he needs to understand he is very good. His command wasn’t very good today. Shoot, I was 0 for 14 until I got my first hit.”
“Things happen, but he’s going to be a really good pitcher once he understands his command is going to be there. Focus on what he does great and have all the confidence in the world.”
“Keep being confident, that’s half the battle. He’s a guy in his first couple of years wants to prove himself. How good he is. He has great stuff. Today he just threw a lot of pitches.”
Frazier first
A 35-year-old major leaguer with 4,924 plate appearances has few first left, but Todd Frazier did Thursday night. The right-handed hitter got his first Pirates hit, a 2-run double in the fifth inning.
“It felt good,” Frazier said. “Those first two at bats felt even better. I remember Billy Hatcher telling me ‘Listen, take your walks when you can. It means you are seeing pitches, your eyes are focused on the ball’. I think I saw 15-16 pitches in the first two at bats and then the big boom for the double. It felt pretty good.”
“I love playing at this stadium. It’s the best field for average I’ve hit on in my career. Hopefully I can keep that going.”
He’s right, hitting .307 in his career with 8 home runs and 25 RBI at PNC Park with a fairly big sample size of 150 at bats.
Difo Lost
To prove that not everyone can play the outfield, Wilmer Difo misplayed an out into a double in the third and also misplayed a single by Perez in the fourth—that was a RBI single, the other run also scored. Difo with a spot start in place of Gregory Polanco went 0-3 with a walk at the plate.
Up Next
Second day off this week on Thursday, opening at three-game series hosting the Cardinals starting on Friday. JT Brubaker (2-1, 2.01 ERA) starts against St. Louis righty John Gant (1-2, 2.25 ERA). First pitch at 6:35p on 93.7 the Fan.