Mitch Keller pitched for a long time, almost until the seventh inning, and Nick Gonzales hit a good shot that helped the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Saturday.
Keller, the pitcher, played really well for 6 2/3 innings. He gave up only one run and six hits, striking out four batters and not giving any walks. He’s been on a winning streak lately, with four wins in a row. In May, he’s been especially good with a 1.30 ERA. He’s also known for pitching at least five innings in each of his last 42 games, which is the longest streak in the majors.
Keller said he’s been successful by throwing the ball well, attacking the batters, and using all his different pitches to keep them guessing.
After a rain delay, Keller came back to the game strong, getting through some tough batters from the Braves.
Bryan Reynolds got two hits for Pittsburgh, including one that brought in a run in the seventh inning, giving the Pirates a little more comfort. The team wore old-fashioned hats to honor the 45th anniversary of the 1979 team’s World Series win.
Before the game, some players from the 1979 team were celebrated, including Bert Blyleven, Kent Tekeulve, and Dave Parker.
Gonzales hit a double and scored for the Pirates, showing his good form since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis. Last season, he struggled a bit in the majors but has been performing much better this year.
