Mitch Keller, Pirates baffle Braves
May 25, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Mitch Keller was effective through 6 2/3 innings and Nick Gonzales extended his hitting streak to six games with an RBI double to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-1 win against the visiting Atlanta Braves on Saturday.
Keller (6-3) allowed one run on six hits to go along with no walks and four strikeouts to earn his first career win against Atlanta, improving to 1-3. David Bednar tossed a scoreless ninth for his 11th save of the year.
Braves starter Reynaldo Lopez (2-2) went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits. He walked one and fanned three. Lopez's night came to an end when the game went into a rain delay that lasted nearly 30 minutes in the bottom of the fifth.
Atlanta has lost two in a row and seven of its past 10 games.
After the Braves tied things at 1 in the top of the fourth, the Pirates quickly regained the lead.
Oneil Cruz drew a walk to lead off the home half of the inning. That brought up Gonzales, who banged a double off the right field wall to bring home Cruz and make it 2-1. Gonzales is 9-for-22 (.409) over his past six games.
Gonzales advanced to third on the play on a fielding error by Ronald Acuna Jr., then scored on Edward Olivares' sacrifice fly to put Pittsburgh ahead 3-1.
The Pirates added another run in the seventh after Ji Hwan Bae drew a one-out walk. Andrew McCutchen knocked a line-drive single to left field, and Bryan Reynolds sent a single up the middle to score Bae.
Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the third. Jared Triolo hit a double down the left field line, and Bae followed with a single to center that drove in Triolo.
Atlanta wasted little time responding.
Matt Olson reached on a one-out single in the fourth. Then, after Orlando Arcia flied out, Michael Harris II singled to move Olson to second and Jarred Kelenic's line-drive single to right plated Olson to tie things at 1-1.
--Field Level Media
Three UFC Fighters Facing Uncertain Futures After Mexico
Best 2026 MLB Futures Bets for the NL West
Lu Dort’s Antics Outshine Big Win for Oklahoma City Thunder
Why Tiger Woods Playing the Masters Seems Unlikely
- UFC Mexico City Betting Predictions: Moreno vs Kavanagh Fight Night Picks
- Friday NBA Picks: Pistons vs Cavs, Nuggets vs Thunder, and More
- NL Central 2026 Futures Picks: Brewers, Pirates and Cardinals Bets
- Thursday Feb. 26th NBA Best Bets: Top Basketball Betting Predictions Today
- Three Best College Basketball Bets For Feb. 25th's Slate
- Three Best NBA Bets for Tuesday Feb 24th's Slate
- NL East Future Betting Picks: Season Win Totals and Division Predictions

