This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The Pittsburgh Pirates will attempt to reach the .500 mark for the first time in more than two months when they send Mitch Keller to the mound in the finale of a three-game series against the host Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon.
The Pirates are on their first three-game winning streak since May 4-6, when they won two home games against the Colorado Rockies and another against the Los Angeles Angels. Before Bryan Reynolds went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in Saturday’s 6-2 win, Pittsburgh had won three in a row only once since last reaching .500 back on April 27.
Pittsburgh last reached the break-even point when it was 14-14 following a 4-3 win at San Francisco. That win occurred after the Pirates lost nine of 11 following an 11-5 start.
Reynolds entered Saturday hitless in his previous 10 at-bats and 3-for-17 in his previous four games. He singled in the first on Saturday to set up an RBI groundout by Oneil Cruz and then added two-run singles in the seventh and ninth innings for his third four-hit showing this season.
“They keep going, they’re grinding,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of his team. “They did some stuff late in the game today. I’m proud of them. We’re playing good baseball right now, and we need to finish the first half strong.”
Reynolds’ big game also gave the Pirates five wins in six games since last Sunday’s 3-2 home loss to the New York Mets.
Andrew McCutchen had two hits but also tweaked his left hamstring when he was caught stealing third base in the seventh.
Keller (10-5, 3.40 ERA) is three wins shy of reaching his career high set last season and is 8-2 with a 2.40 ERA in his past 11 starts dating to May 6. Keller also is coming off one of his best outings when he allowed two runs on seven hits in eight innings during Monday’s 8-2 win over the Mets.
“He’s elite, man. Stuff’s elite,” Pirates catcher Joey Bart said after Monday’s outing. “He’s just ready. Every fifth day, sixth day, whenever he’s out there, he’s ready.”
Keller is making his first career appearance against the White Sox, who became the first team to 70 losses this season when they were held to two runs or fewer for the 42nd time.
Chicago is 3-9 in its past 12 games since its three-game winning streak June 27-29.
Luis Robert Jr. had an RBI single and stole two bases while Tommy Pham had two hits and scored both runs on Saturday.
“You can’t hide what everybody can see,” Robert said through an interpreter. “It’s bad. We have to keep working hard to try to get a better second half.”
After getting six-plus innings from Chris Flexen before Pittsburgh scored five times off relievers Tanner Banks and Justin Anderson (with Flexen charged with two of the runs), the White Sox did not announce their starter for Sunday as their rotation entered Saturday with a respectable 3.10 ERA in its past 34 games.
–Field Level Media
