Keller builds momentum but eyes higher ceiling

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates need their starters to go deeper into games. Mitch Keller needs to regain his usual form. On Tuesday night, it looked as if the Bucs would achieve both of those needs.

Then came the top of the seventh inning.

Keller allowed just one run over six innings, nearly becoming the first Pirates pitcher to throw seven or more innings in a start since Braxton Ashcraft did so on May 21. Then Luke Raley doubled and Cole Young homered, flipping a one-run lead into a one-run deficit.

Young’s homer capped a 3-2 loss for Pittsburgh to open the series. Keller threw 68.5% of his pitches for strikes (his second-best mark of the year) while forcing a career-high 11 flyouts and allowing seven hits.

Keller is showing signs of returning to his All-Star form. But a faulty seventh inning proved he’s not quite there yet.

“Definitely a lot of positives from the way it's been going,” Keller said. “... Getting back to what I'm good at. I throw six different pitches, and using those to get ahead, rather than just handcuffing myself to a couple, just keeping it open.”

Keller entered play Tuesday with a 4.92 ERA. He found the strike zone early and often, efficiently mowing through the Mariners' lineup with six flyouts in the first three innings on just 32 pitches.

As Keller found his groove, Marcell Ozuna got the scoring started. After Endy Rodríguez doubled, Ozuna ripped a single to the opposite field to take a 1-0 lead.

The top of Pittsburgh’s lineup added on in the third with three straight singles before plating a run on a throwing error by third baseman JP Crawford. Bryan Reynolds extended his on-base streak to 28 games with a single in the process.

Seattle eventually got to Keller, as Cal Raleigh found the right-field seats with a homer to lead off the fourth. But Keller settled back in to add to his strikeout total and preserve the Pirates' narrow lead. But as Keller pitched into the seventh, a few pitches got away, altering the narrative of the start.

Kelly chose to stick with Keller after he was at just 76 pitches through six innings, his first time pitching into the seventh inning since May 1. The move came despite lefty Mason Montgomery being ready in the bullpen, and all splits against lefties Raley and Young pointing in Montgomery’s favor.

“We thought about [going to Montgomery],” Kelly said. “Mitch pitched so well up until that point, and we had Montgomery ready for later. We were trying to get Mitch through [Victor] Robles. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, but he had pitched so well up until that point. Trusting him to go back out.”

While using all six of his pitches, Keller’s fastball was the most effective solely off of its ability to find the strike zone. Keller showed signs of returning to form in Sacramento, allowing only five runs -- but only one earned -- in 5 1/3 innings. The Pirates did, however, allow five runs in the contest. Tuesday was a different story for the most part, as Keller's only walk came on his final batter, the 26th he faced on the day.

Keller had hit a rough patch before his Sacramento start, producing a 13.28 ERA across his prior three starts while failing to complete the fifth inning each time.

Despite the mishaps, Keller knew all along what the issue was: command. Following his loss to the Dodgers on June 12, Keller pointed to execution within the strike zone as his problem. He answered with four walks against the Athletics. He made further strides against the Mariners, walking only the one.

The Pirates want Keller to find the form that earned him a five-year contract extension and 2023 All-Star nod. In fact, they need it. Tuesday was a step in the right direction.