Pirates Fall to Braves as Keller Struggles Despite Early Advantage

The Pittsburgh Pirates faced off against the Atlanta Braves on Friday, June 5, and while they initially took a 3-1 lead, their advantage quickly evaporated. Mitch Keller, the Pirates' starting pitcher, endured a tough outing, surrendering six runs over 4.2 innings, resulting in a 6-3 defeat for Pittsburgh, which now holds a record of 34-30.

The game began on a promising note for the Pirates. In the second inning, Keller's struggles with walks allowed Ronald Acuña Jr. to deliver a two-out hit, giving Atlanta an early edge. However, the Pirates responded in the third inning. Spencer Horwitz and Jared Triolo reached base, setting up Henry Davis to tie the game with a sacrifice fly. Nick Gonzales followed with an infield single to put the Pirates ahead, but the lead would be short-lived.

Back in the bottom of the third, Keller's command issues resurfaced as Ozzie Albies reached base followed by Mauricio Dubón, who crushed a 405-foot home run, bringing the score to 3-3. The Braves took control in the fifth, starting with consecutive singles. Dubón drove in a run with a double, and a sacrifice fly extended Atlanta’s lead, resulting in a decisive 6-3 score.

After the second inning, Atlanta's pitching staff tightened up, allowing just one hit for the remainder of the game, which left the Pirates struggling to mount a comeback. Dubón was the standout performer, finishing the game 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Keller's recent performance is concerning; after a strong start to the season with a 2.85 ERA in his first eight games, he has since allowed 24 earned runs in his last 26 innings, leading to an ERA of 8.31. Notably, June 5 has not been kind to Keller in previous seasons, as he also faced similar difficulties last year against the Astros.

The Pirates will look to even the series against the Braves on Saturday, June 6, at 4:10 p.m. Braxton Ashcraft, boasting a 5-2 record and 2.77 ERA, is set to take the mound opposite Braves ace Spencer Strider, who is returning from Tommy John surgery.