Sunday’s 6-3 victory over the Rays featured an entertaining mix of old and new for the Pirates. It also reinforced what’s becoming an identity of this club: It’s excellent at following ugly losses with something better.
While improving to 4-2-1 in series play and punctuating a 4-3 homestand, the Pirates enjoyed the start of the year so far from Mitch Keller -- seven innings of tidy, two-run ball. Bryan Reynolds drove in three runs, and Wilber Dotel made his MLB debut, touching triple digits in the ninth.
With as frustrating as Saturday’s elongated day felt, getaway day was 180 degrees different thanks to a pair of longtime Pirates and someone who’s been here for mere hours.
“We needed that after last night,” Reynolds said.
“That [Keller] is one of our leaders,” Nick Yorke added.
“Huge,” Don Kelly said. “Probably the biggest start of the year with where our bullpen was at.”
The victory puts the Pirates in solid shape, the frustration of Saturday’s rain-soaked mess dry. They’re 13-9, a game back of the Reds in the NL Central. Furthermore, they haven’t lost back-to-back games since late March, going 12-6 in their past 18.
There was also some personal redemption for Keller, who wasn’t the least bit happy with his last outing: five earned runs allowed over four innings earlier this homestand against the Nationals.
Suffice to say, walking no one, striking out five and throwing 58 of 89 pitches for strikes accomplished the goal.
“I felt really good,” Keller said. “I just wanted to bounce back from last time and stay on the attack.
Keller was outstanding. But this game included much more. Let’s explore with my observations:
1. It actually looked like this might be a frustrating one for the Pirates early. Runner on third with one out in the third -- nothing. Leadoff double in the fourth, also nothing.
Finally in the fifth, they rallied behind a bunt, a stolen base, a softly hit single from Nick Gonzales (72 mph) that scored a run and finally a two-run single from Reynolds.
“Our offense has been really good,” Reynolds said. “We didn’t get the big hit for a couple days, but this is a good offense. We’re going to score runs.”
2. It’s still weird that a statement like that rings true, yet it’s accurate.
Only five teams have scored more than the Pirates’ 113 runs. It was certainly a struggle hitting with runners on base Saturday. They went two for 17 with runners in scoring position, stranding 12. There have been other games, too. But the big hit wasn’t nearly as elusive on Sunday.
3. Keller’s game plan made sense, the right-hander relying on his four-seam fastball 43% of the time, up from the 29% he’s thrown it on the year. It helped Keller stay on the attack.
While the sinker has been a weapon, Keller relied more on spin stuff than usual, throwing his curveball and slider a combined 24% compared to 9% in his other outings.
“Joey [Bart] did a great job back there,” Keller said. “We had a really good game plan going in. Just trying to mix it up, use all the pitches and keep them off balance.”
4. I was surprised the Pirates went with Dotel for the ninth, but good for him.
Dotel, recalled earlier in the day for Cam Sanders, pitched very well. The 23-year-old topped out at 99.8 mph and rebounded from allowing a home run to Junior Caminero by striking out Jonathan Aranda on a nasty heater out of the zone.
We’ll see if Dotel sticks. The Pirates need someone to nail down a middle relief role. I’ve certainly seen less enticing options.
5. Though Dotel pitched the ninth, it was more a function of getting him some work than predictive usage. He’s actually the perfect candidate to replace José Urquidy, Hunter Barco and Sanders.
In the meantime, Keller did what has become expected out of the Pirates’ second-longest-tenured player behind Reynolds, recognizing the situation and giving a beaten-down bullpen a blow.
“That’s a good club over there,” Bart said. “They had a really good pitcher on the mound today. We knew it was gonna be a good game. We had some clutch hits and scored some runs to help [Keller] breathe a little bit. I feel like the more breathing room we gave him, the more he feasted on it.”
6. Spencer Horwitz continues to look like the guy who was the Pirates’ best hitter during the season half of 2025, pinch-hitting in the sixth inning and paying off Kelly’s decision with a solo homer to make it a 5-2 game.
After working a 2-1 count, Horwitz sat on a changeup from Rays reliever Mason Englert. Meatball. Horwitz lofted one high into the right-field seats.
Horwitz went one for 12 in March, but he’s hitting .302 (13 for 43) with four extra-base hits and five RBIs in April. This homestand also featured the first two homers of the season for Horwitz.
7. Jake Mangum, starting in left and hitting leadoff for this, had an impact early. He doubled and scored in the first. He also dropped a beautiful bunt in the third, then stole third with one out, though the Pirates couldn’t bring the run home.
Over his last five, Mangum now has seven hits, three walks and six runs scored, finding different ways to impact the game.
8. Speaking of underrated performances, Bart had several quality at-bats that included a double to open the Pirates’ three-run fifth. That ball traveled 405 feet. Bart actually accounted for three of the five longest hit distances Sunday, producing flyouts that traveled 373 feet in the sixth and 356 feet in the second.
The biggest play Bart made might’ve been a throw down to second to nail Tampa Bay’s speedy left fielder, Chandler Simpson, on a steal attempt in the first inning. Bart and Henry Davis have thrown out six runners this season, tied for third-most in MLB.
“Huge throw,” Keller said.
9. Along with Horwitz, the Pirates also got a solo home run from Yorke in the eighth. Facing lefty reliever Ian Seymour, Yorke crushed an elevated sinker to left at 106.6 mph for his first of the season.
“Just continuing with my approach and trying to hit the ball hard,” Yorke said. “It helps when I swing at good pitches.”
Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.