DETROIT -- The Pirates’ bats were largely silent after a two-run first inning but came alive to in the eighth to nab a victory on the road.
Erik Gonzalez, Bryan Reynolds and Colin Moran each had run-scoring hits in a 4-2 win against the Tigers in the rubber match at Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon. The Pirates move to 9-10 on the season and are just two games back in the win column from the first-place Brewers. They've either won or split four consecutive series since opening the year 1-6.
That trio got the runs on the board, but Adam Frazier was the facilitator of the offense. He collected three hits, including a double on the game’s first pitch, and scored twice. Frazier is batting .333 in 69 at-bats this season.
Gonzalez and Reynolds played a part in both offensive outbursts in the game. Gonzalez delivered an RBI single for the third consecutive game, bringing home Reynolds with a base hit in each inning. Reynolds extended his six-game on-base streak with a run-scoring hit in the opening frame and drew a walk in the eighth to set up Moran’s RBI, seeing-eye single through the shift on the left side.
Reynolds has seven hits in his past 16 at-bats (.438) with six walks, five RBIs and nine runs scored over that span. Gonzalez has hits in 11 of his past 13 games and has boosted his average to .291.
For the first time since Sept. 10, 2019, Mitch Keller did not walk a batter. Unsurprisingly, some excellent results followed. Keller was charged with two runs on five hits while striking out five over five innings. It was the second time Keller completed that many innings this season.
He allowed a solo shot to JaCoby Jones and a run-scoring triple to Akil Baddoo but was more efficient and as effective than he’s been all season. Out of his 80 pitches, 57 actually landed in the zone.
Keller lowered his ERA by more than a full run to 7.16 this season.
Richard Rodriguez earned his third save of the season with a perfect ninth inning. Rodriguez has not allowed a run in 19 1/3 innings dating back to last August. Duane Underwood Jr., Sam Howard and Chris Stratton bridged a scoreless gap to Rodriguez. Howard got Underwood out of a jam in his second inning of work, stranding runners at the corners in the seventh.
More coverage to come from Comerica Park in Detroit.