While Pirates hope bats heat up, bullpen cools off the opponents

Considering the angst created by the Pirates’ recent offensive deficiencies, it was shocking to look up Thursday morning and discover they had won three of their past five games.

This is a team that is last (15th) in the National League in runs scored (122), 14th in home runs (28) and 12th in batting average (.224).

It’s clear that not enough payroll has been devoted to that side of the baseball, but the bullpen has kept the team competitive.

David Bednar has climbed among the game’s top closers, with eight saves, giving the team an overall total of 11 (tied for ninth in the majors). His WHIP is seventh among pitchers with 12 or more innings (0.60) and his ERA under 1 (0.90) while allowing only nine hits and striking out 27 batters in 20 innings.

Recent history dictates there’s no need to hold onto unreasonable hope. And with more than 75% of the season remaining, it’s far too early to study the standings.

Nonetheless, after an off day Thursday, the Pirates (16-21) come home to PNC Park, with an opportunity to narrow the four-game gap between themselves and the St. Louis Cardinals (20-17), the second-place team in the National League Central. They will play three against the Cardinals, three more when the Colorado Rockies (18-19) hit town.

The Bednar story has been a good one, but the Pirates won’t reach .500/respectability until the bats come alive. Even while winning three of five games, they scored only seven runs. Since taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers — the NL’s best team — they have scored nine runs in seven games.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, who leads the team with a .289 batting average, said there has been an emphasis on being more selective at the plate.

“We’ve been stressing, get your pitch. If you don’t get it, take your walks,” he said. “We’re a super young team. We’re all still learning, trying to get better.”

Manager Derek Shelton has tinkered with the starting rotation to the point of putting Mitch Keller in the bullpen and using Wil Crowe and Dillon Peters as openers who work only a few innings.

Before his 2 2/3-inning relief appearance Wednesday at Wrigley Field, Keller had a 6.12 ERA and 1.70 WHIP while hitters compiled a .306 batting average against him — all stats ranked last in the majors since 2019, according to a graphic displayed on the YouTube.com telecast Wednesday night.

But his velocity continued to tick upward, and he pitched well enough in his first career relief opportunity to earn the victory.

“He looked pretty good,” infielder Michael Chavis said. “He has really special stuff. We’re excited to see how it plays out.”

Meanwhile, starters Zach Thompson and Jose Quintana recently have offered hope.

Thompson will start Friday night against the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright. After a streak of 12 consecutive scoreless innings, Thompson improved his ERA from 10.05 to 5.47. Quintana has a 2.19 ERA in seven starts.

The nine-man lineup changes regularly while Shelton looks for answers at three of the four infield positions (third baseman Hayes is the exception), catcher and right field.

Shelton has used six players in right, but they responded with a total of only eight home runs. He’s used six different second basemen looking for a replacement for Adam Frazier, who was traded last year, and five shortstops while Kevin Newman recovers from a groin strain.

A new problem emerged Wednesday when the Pirates announced that veteran catcher Roberto Perez will have season-ending hamstring surgery. Michael Perez, the new regular catcher, is hitting only .167.