The Pittsburgh Pirates have been struggling in recent games, but their fortunes changed on Thursday night when they took on the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Pitcher Mitch Keller led the way, throwing a four-hit shutout to help the Pirates end their losing streak.
Keller was on top of his game throughout the night, allowing only four hits and one walk while striking out five. He was efficient, throwing 62 of his 96 pitches for strikes, and he seemed to get stronger as the game went on. After allowing a leadoff single in the first inning, Keller retired the next 11 batters in a row, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
The Pirates provided Keller with some early run support, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning off Rockies starter Chi Chi Gonzalez. Colin Moran got things started with a one-out double, and then Phillip Evans drove him in with a single. Jacob Stallings followed with a double to score Evans, and the Pirates had a 2-0 lead before Keller even took the mound.
From there, it was all Keller. He didn’t allow a runner to reach second base until the eighth inning, and he faced the minimum number of batters in five different innings. The Rockies had their best chance to score in the eighth inning, when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Keller got Yonathan Daza to fly out to the warning track to end the threat.
With the win, the Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak and earned their first complete-game shutout since May 11, 2018, when Jameson Taillon accomplished the feat against the Padres. It was also Keller’s first career complete game and his first shutout.
After the game, Keller was understandably excited about his performance. “It’s one of the cooler things I’ve been a part of,” he said. “Complete-game shutout, it’s awesome. It’s what you dream about as a kid, going the distance and shutting the other team out.”
The Pirates will look to build on this win as they continue their series against the Rockies on Friday night. They’ll send JT Brubaker to the mound, hoping he can continue the team’s recent success.
