Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds each hit home runs with two runners on base. Mitch Keller pitched well for six innings, earning his fifth straight win for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
They beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1, breaking a nine-game losing streak against them. Keller has been on a roll lately, winning his last five games.
In May, he won four games with a low ERA of 1.30. Pirates manager Derek Shelton praised Keller’s performance, calling it gritty. Andrew McCutchen also contributed, driving in a run and scoring twice.
Jared Triolo had three hits to help Pittsburgh end Toronto’s four-game winning streak. Luis L. Ortiz got his first career save by pitching the final three innings. Reynolds mentioned it felt good to win after a tough game the previous night.
Keller appreciated the support from his teammates, who made his job easier. The Blue Jays’ pitcher Yusei Kikuchi had a tough game, allowing six runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Hayes hit a home run in the first inning, and Edward Olivares added a sacrifice fly. Reynolds hit another home run in the ninth inning. Despite a promising start with a triple by Daulton Varsho and a walk by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays couldn’t score in the first inning, extending their poor streak to 23 games without scoring in the opening inning.
