Mitch Keller was in a groove through three innings tonight at PNC Park. Utilizing a five-pitch mix of his four-seam and two-seam fastballs, curveball, sweeper and slider, he kept the Astros at bay, facing one over the minimum.
Isaac Paredes then caught a 1-1 sweeper out in front and did this in the fourth inning:
It was the first of six runs Keller allowed as the Pirates lost 8-2 following a three-hour, 22-minute rain delay, dropping their second straight series.
The Astros scored four runs in the fourth, as they jumped on Keller's sweeper, a pitch he threw six times in the first three innings, producing two strikeouts and two flyouts. Cam Smith jumped on an 0-1 sweeper to drive in Christian Walker before Jake Melton drove in two more when he squared up a 2-2 middle-middle four-seam fastball after fouling off a sweeper.
"We got them out in the first three innings with it, and then the fourth there, yeah, they were just kinda sitting on it," Keller said. "We didn't make the adjustment soon enough."
Keller threw his sweeper 16 times and produced a 29% whiff rate. It was fouled off four times and put in play six, tied for the highest amount of his six pitches. It was only put in play two more times after the fourth, producing a flyout and groundout.
"It just seemed to be what they were on, with the home run and one of the base hits," Don Kelly said. "It just seemed to be that it wasn’t sharp."
• Ke'Bryan Hayes is hitting .145 over his last 15 games, but he showed why he's one of the best defensive third basemen in Major League Baseball with one of his best plays yet:
Keller's reaction says it all. The right-hander said he's not surprised by Hayes anymore but when he makes those type of plays in front of him: "It's pretty amazing. When you're out there, yeah, it's pretty amazing, honestly."
• Kelly was mum about his interaction with Astros General Manager Dana Brown during the rain delay:
Why is the Astros GM down on the field arguing about the weather with Don Kelly pic.twitter.com/0Bh6tfkdMC
He said: “Just talking through it with the league, the Astros. Obviously, it’s the last game that they’re here and trying to find … while they’re here. We wanted to play.”
• Kelly used Kyle Nicolas and Ryan Borucki out of the bullpen. Nicolas worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Borucki got the ninth. It was the first time he'd pitched since May 28 and Kelly said it was an opportunity to "keep him fresh" despite it being a "pretty tough lane for him." It showed as Paredes hit his second home run on a low 0-1 sinker. It was the fourth straight appearance in which Borucki has given up a run.
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
7:53 am - 06.06.2025NORTH SHOREExtra Bases: Astros pummel Keller's sweeper
Mitch Keller was in a groove through three innings tonight at PNC Park. Utilizing a five-pitch mix of his four-seam and two-seam fastballs, curveball, sweeper and slider, he kept the Astros at bay, facing one over the minimum.
Isaac Paredes then caught a 1-1 sweeper out in front and did this in the fourth inning:
It was the first of six runs Keller allowed as the Pirates lost 8-2 following a three-hour, 22-minute rain delay, dropping their second straight series.
The Astros scored four runs in the fourth, as they jumped on Keller's sweeper, a pitch he threw six times in the first three innings, producing two strikeouts and two flyouts. Cam Smith jumped on an 0-1 sweeper to drive in Christian Walker before Jake Melton drove in two more when he squared up a 2-2 middle-middle four-seam fastball after fouling off a sweeper.
"We got them out in the first three innings with it, and then the fourth there, yeah, they were just kinda sitting on it," Keller said. "We didn't make the adjustment soon enough."
Keller threw his sweeper 16 times and produced a 29% whiff rate. It was fouled off four times and put in play six, tied for the highest amount of his six pitches. It was only put in play two more times after the fourth, producing a flyout and groundout.
"It just seemed to be what they were on, with the home run and one of the base hits," Don Kelly said. "It just seemed to be that it wasn’t sharp."
• Ke'Bryan Hayes is hitting .145 over his last 15 games, but he showed why he's one of the best defensive third basemen in Major League Baseball with one of his best plays yet:
Keller's reaction says it all. The right-hander said he's not surprised by Hayes anymore but when he makes those type of plays in front of him: "It's pretty amazing. When you're out there, yeah, it's pretty amazing, honestly."
• Kelly was mum about his interaction with Astros General Manager Dana Brown during the rain delay:
He said: “Just talking through it with the league, the Astros. Obviously, it’s the last game that they’re here and trying to find … while they’re here. We wanted to play.”
• Kelly used Kyle Nicolas and Ryan Borucki out of the bullpen. Nicolas worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Borucki got the ninth. It was the first time he'd pitched since May 28 and Kelly said it was an opportunity to "keep him fresh" despite it being a "pretty tough lane for him." It showed as Paredes hit his second home run on a low 0-1 sinker. It was the fourth straight appearance in which Borucki has given up a run.
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