Mitch Keller posts 5th straight quality start, as Pirates best Dodgers to take series

Prominent voices across national MLB media seemed to identify a test and challenge this week for the surprisingly dominant Pittsburgh Pirates: Perform in your three-game series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, and then we’ll talk.

Not that the Pirates’ recent seven-game win streak, featuring sweeps of the Reds and Rockies, in addition to an early-season sweep of Boston at Fenway Park, hadn’t been noticed.

But how would the upstart Pirates fare against the perennial powerhouse Dodgers?

The Pirates (18-8) provided an answer to that question Thursday afternoon at PNC Park, beating Los Angeles, 6-2, riding a quality start from Mitch Keller, aggressive baserunning and robust offense in front of a crowd of 15,879 to take the series two games to one.

At the time of their win Thursday, the Pirates boasted the most wins in the National League and second-most in baseball, trailing only Tampa Bay (20-5).

“I don’t know if it’s a statement series,” said Keller (3-0, 3.53 ERA), who turned in his fifth consecutive quality start. “I think we’re just playing really good baseball. Everything’s clicking. We’re hitting the ball, we’re pitching the ball, we’re running, we’re playing defense. We’re doing everything right.

“There’s no doubt in our minds in this clubhouse that we can do that every night. I think that’s a really special thing we’ve got going.”

On paper, a meeting between the Pirates and Dodgers had the feel of David vs. Goliath, in recent franchise success as well as payroll.

But with their series-clinching victory Thursday, which closes out a seven-game homestead (the Pirates went 6-1), they took another step in the direction of claiming some legitimacy.

“I think when you play a team that’s this good, and has been this good for the last 10-12 years or however long, a team that has won 100 games multiple times, coming in, I think it was important for us to play good baseball, and we did,” manager Derek Shelton said.

Keller got himself into hot water out of the gate, allowing a pair of earned runs in the top of the first inning, which began with a leadoff walk issued to Mookie Betts.

After Jason Heyward got on base with a single, he and Betts pulled off a double steal before both were plated by a David Peralta hit to center field.

But the Pirates responded quickly, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning off of Dodgers starter Julio Urias (3-3, 4.41 ERA) in a textbook display of the style of baseball that’s gotten them off to such a red-hot start.

Tucupita Marcano bunted his way to first base and advanced to third when Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes committed a two-base throwing error.

Then, Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen got aboard with two straight singles, the first of which, by Reynolds, scored Marcano.

Rodolfo Castro went on to score Reynolds with a sacrifice fly before a check-swing blooper single by Jack Suwinski brought McCutchen home.

In total, the Pirates’ half of the first inning featured three runs scored on four hits and, crucially, three stolen bases.

“When we’re on the basepaths, we’re creating chaos out there, and it’s fun to watch,” Keller said. “The second we lay a bunt down or we’re stealing, it’s just all hell broke loose out there. It’s really fun to watch.”

A one-run lead was all Keller needed as he went on to throw six innings, tying his career-high in strikeouts (10) before the bullpen combination of Duane Underwood Jr., Jose Hernandez and David Bednar pitched quiet seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

Keller’s leadoff walk to Betts was the only free pass he issued on the afternoon, and he allowed the Dodgers only five hits.

Up 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Pirates got three insurance runs off the bats of Connor Joe and Castro, who homered in back-to-back at-bats for the final margin.

Connor Joe bomb ???? pic.twitter.com/dTwQH7K524

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 27, 2023

aaaaand Castro joins the fun ???? pic.twitter.com/kub0alIaNu

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 27, 2023

All of the Pirates’ six runs were earned and charged to Urias, who took the loss, striking out five with two walks along with seven hits.

Reynolds (2 for 4 and an RBI) was the only Pirate with multiple hits, and Castro and Joe both plated a pair of runs in the game.

Drew Maggi, who made his MLB debut Wednesday night, at 33 years old, got his first big-league start Thursday, playing third base and batting eighth, with Ke’Bryan Hayes taking a scheduled maintenance day off.

Maggi, looking for his first hit, went 0 for 3 in the win.

“I think it is about as close to complete as we can play,” Shelton said. “We played well defensively. Mitch did a really good job of holding down a really good lineup — they had the four left-handers there together — and then our bullpen was really efficient. That was a very well-played game.”

Up next for the Pirates is a six-game road trip, with three at Washington starting Friday to close out April followed by a three-game series in Tampa Bay from May 2-4 against the Rays.