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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller walks to the dugout after handing the ball to manager Don Kelly during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Pittsburgh, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The Pirates spotted Mitch Keller an early 3-1 lead in Atlanta on Friday, June 5, but the struggling right-hander got knocked around for six runs in 4.2 innings, Pittsburgh (34-30) losing 6-3 as a result.
Scoring Plays
Bottom 2nd, 1-0 ATL: Free passes hurt the Pirates in the second as starting pitcher Mitch Keller walked one batter and hit another. A two-out hit from Ronald Acuña Jr. broke the ice.
Top 3rd, 3-1 PIT: Atlanta’s lead didn’t last long. Spencer Horwitz walked and Jared Triolo doubled to put a pair in scoring position. A Henry Davis sacrifice fly tied the game, Nick Gonzales legged out an infield single to plate Triolo and, after a walk and a sacrifice fly put Gonzales 90 feet away, Marcell Ozuna singled him home.
Bottom 3rd, 3-3: Once again, walks killed Keller. This time Ozzie Albies got on board, Mauricio Dubón fouling off a pair of pitches before crushing a 78 mile per hour curveball 405 feet to left.
Bottom 5th, 6-3 ATL: The Braves’ decisive rally came with a pair of singles to start the home half of the fifth. Dubón doubled home a run, a sacrifice fly added another, and an Austin Riley two-bagger set up the 6-3 final.
Key Moments
After giving up three hits in the second inning, Atlanta’s pitching staff allowed just one the rest of the way. Their ability to settle in after getting punched early left the Pirates floundering.
Player of the Game
Dubón, who went 2-for-4 with two extra base hits and three RBI.
Stat to Know
After posting a 2.85 ERA through his first eight starts (47.0 innings), Mitch Keller has allowed 24 earned runs in his last 26 innings, an ERA of 8.31.
Notable Performances
- Marcell Ozuna: 2-for-4 with an RBI
- Jared Triolo: 1-for-3 with a double
Noteworthy
June 5 has been a rough day for Keller in recent seasons: he gave up six runs in a loss to the Astros one year ago today.
Up Next
The Pirates will try to tie their series with the Braves beginning at 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, June 6. They’ll send Braxton Ashcraft (5-2, 2.77 ERA, 81 K’s) to the mound against Braves ace Spencer Strider (3-1, 3.77 ERA, 40 K’s). Strider recently made his way back from Tommy John surgery.
The post Mitch Keller Knocked Around Despite Early Lead; Braves Shut Down Pirates’ Bats appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
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