Mitch Keller held Texas to just three singles over seven-plus innings after having two of his worst starts of the season, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-0 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night.
Keller (11-7) struck out nine, matching his season high, and didn’t walk any batters while throwing 98 pitches. The Pirates won for the fourth time in their last six games after a season-long 10-game losing streak.
He left the game after giving up a leadoff single to Josh Jung in the eighth inning. He also allowed a two-out single to Josh Smith in the fourth and a leadoff single by Carson Kelly in the sixth.
Keller had given up 15 runs in his previous nine innings in an 8-2 loss at San Diego last Wednesday and a 9-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 9. He hadn’t won a game since July 8.
“You’re just trying to flush the game, obviously. The previous two, yeah, they weren’t good,” Keller said. “But as soon as literally and figuratively you showered it off and get back at the next one.
It’s a new week. It’s a new game. That’s just the mentality you have to bring every time.” Keller’s performance frustrated Rangers manager Bruce Bochy.
“Hopefully somebody gets you going, but we couldn’t get guys on base,” Bochy said. “Couldn’t put pressure on him.”
Aroldis Chapman and David Bednar completed Pittsburgh’s eighth shutout of the year.
Cody Bradford (4-1) matched his career high with eight strikeouts over seven innings while allowing five hits. However, four of those hits came in the fourth inning when the Pirates scored three runs.
Bryan De La Cruz drove in two runs with a single to center that was short-hopped by a sliding Leody Taveras, and then Oneil Cruz hit a triple off the wall in right field just beyond Adolis García’s reach to score De La Cruz.
