Mitch Keller lifts Pirates to 5-1 win over Marlins

The Pittsburgh Pirates got a top performance from Mitch Keller, who mostly shut down the Miami Marlins using a drop in velocity but an increase in location on his pitches, while the Bucs hitters pounded out 11 hits at the plate to lift Pittsburgh to a 5-1 victory.

Keller went seven innings, giving up one run on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts, with the only run he gave up coming on an RBI single by Avisail Garcia in the bottom of the sixth. It was one of the best performances of Keller’s career.

Jake Marsinick, who went 2-for-3 with a a two-run homer, his first of the season, while filling in for the injured Bryan Reynolds, had this to say about Keller’s performance:

“It was unbelievable. I was watching from center field and his slider was disgusting tonight. He was locating well. He was working the corners. It was fun to watch. He makes it easy on us.”

This was Marsinick’s first game back from the 60-day DL, as Reynolds went on the 10-day, and he sent one for a ride.

Kevin Newman went 3-for-5 with an RBI double in the top of the second that scored Marsinick, while Diego Castillo went 2-for-4 and got the scoring started in the first with a double that scored both Newman and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Jason Delay also went 2-for-4 on the evening.

Chase De Jong and Yerry De Los Santos worked the eighth and ninth innings, with De Los Santos striking out all four batters he faced to pick up his third save of the season.

The Buccos moved to 37-50 and will be back in action today at 6:40pm.