Mitch Keller, starting his second straight home opener, tossed six innings again after doing so in New York against the Mets. This time out, he allowed two earned runs on six hits, four walks, and four strikeouts.
On what worked today for him: "Just attacking the zone. We got ahead. Henry called a really good game, just trusting him," said Keller. "The sinker was good, got some double plays. There's some bad too, walks, especially after a long inning, don't want to have leadoff walks and make an inning out of nothing, but yeah, overall, pretty good."
It was a much better performance than last year's home opener, when he allowed seven runs over 3 2/3 innings.
"I thought it was phenomenal," Don Kelly said. "I think that he had good stuff. He was erratic a little bit at times with the leadoff guy getting on, found ways to get some double plays early, and then the way that he's able to slow things down in that atmosphere. I think it just speaks to the experience that he has and the type of pitcher he is.”
That atmosphere had Keller recognizing the difference at PNC Park.
"Yeah, it's unbelievable. I took a moment before the game just to kind of look around, and take it all in. It kind of felt like a playoff baseball crowd, honestly, it's just kind of something we strive for and when I walk in with Henry Davis from the bullpen, I was like, ‘hey man, this is what we play for... let's go, let's have some fun’.
Keller continued, "The fans brought it. It was fun, electric, everyone played really well. It's just an all-around great day. "
THE ASYLUM
Keller on opener: 'Unbelievable'
Mitch Keller, starting his second straight home opener, tossed six innings again after doing so in New York against the Mets. This time out, he allowed two earned runs on six hits, four walks, and four strikeouts.
On what worked today for him: "Just attacking the zone. We got ahead. Henry called a really good game, just trusting him," said Keller. "The sinker was good, got some double plays. There's some bad too, walks, especially after a long inning, don't want to have leadoff walks and make an inning out of nothing, but yeah, overall, pretty good."
It was a much better performance than last year's home opener, when he allowed seven runs over 3 2/3 innings.
"I thought it was phenomenal," Don Kelly said. "I think that he had good stuff. He was erratic a little bit at times with the leadoff guy getting on, found ways to get some double plays early, and then the way that he's able to slow things down in that atmosphere. I think it just speaks to the experience that he has and the type of pitcher he is.”
That atmosphere had Keller recognizing the difference at PNC Park.
"Yeah, it's unbelievable. I took a moment before the game just to kind of look around, and take it all in. It kind of felt like a playoff baseball crowd, honestly, it's just kind of something we strive for and when I walk in with Henry Davis from the bullpen, I was like, ‘hey man, this is what we play for... let's go, let's have some fun’.
Keller continued, "The fans brought it. It was fun, electric, everyone played really well. It's just an all-around great day. "
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