The Pirates are in first place in the NL Central, up by half a game over the Milwaukee Brewers. They have a +11 run differential, which ranks first in the division. In that regard, Milwaukee (2nd place, -21) and Cincinnati (3rd, -33) seem to be over-performing compared to Chicago (4th, +1) and St. Louis (5th, +2). In any event, this is a division in which the Pirates can contend the rest of the season.
Tonight’s starter is Mitch Keller, who is making his way up the pitcher leaderboards. Keller ranks 11th among qualified MLB pitchers with a 2.0 WAR this year. He ranks 23rd in ERA (3.25) and 10th in FIP (2.85). He’s allowed ten earned runs in 12 innings over his last two outings. The Pirates offense combined for 20 runs in those games, bailing their best starter out. Tonight, they go up against a starter with an ERA north of 8, so Keller should have some support in what could be a nice bounce-back outing.
Check back at the end of the night for the Pirates game recap and the Prospect Watch at the bottom of this page.
PIRATES (32-27) VS ATHLETICS
Game Time: 7:05 PM EST
Pirates Starter: Mitch Keller, RHP (7-1, 3.25)
Athletics Starter: James Kaprielian (0-6, 8.12)
Pirates Lineups:
Game 2 vs. the A's.
Athletics Lineups:
Second game in the Steel City
INDIANAPOLIS (28-28) VS OMAHA
Game Time: 7:05 PM EST
Projected Starter: TBA
Latest Features:6/6: Carmen Mlodzinski improves all the way with aggressive approach
5/26: Potential Plan For Jared Triolo Becoming More Clear
5/18: The Bat Is Ready For Endy Rodriguez, But One Question RemainsALTOONA (27-22) AT RICHMOND
Game Time: 6:35 PM EST
Projected Starter: Kyle Nicolas, RHP (3-5, 4.05)
Latest Features:6/1: Matt Gorski Displays Athleticism And Versatility
5/25: Sean Sullivan Continues To Thrive In AltoonaGREENSBORO (26-23) VS WILMINGTON
Game Time: 6:30 PM EST
Projected Starter: TBA
Latest Features:6/4: Braxton Ashcraft Showing Velocity and Control in Return From Tommy John
6/2: Abrahan Gutierrez Hitting Ground Running Returning From Injury
5/26: Anthony Solometo Faces Two Top 100 Prospects In GreensboroBRADENTON (27-24) VS DUNEDIN
Game Time: 6:30 PM EST
Projected Starter: TBA
Latest Features:6/3: Thomas Harrington Displayed Swing and Miss Secondary in Bradenton
5/30: With May Ending, Shalin Polanco Heading In Right Direction
5/27: Luis Peralta Using Sinker In Less Conventional WayFCL PIRATES (1-0) vs FCL BRAVES
Game Time: 12:00 PM EST
Projected Starter: Geronimo Franzua, LHP (2023 Debut)DSL PIRATES BLACK (0-1)
Game Time: 12:00 PM EST
Projected Starter: Carlos Castillo, RHP (Pro Debut)DSL PIRATES GOLD (1-0)
Game Time: 12:00 PM EST
Projected Starter: Alexis Torres, RHP (2023 Debut)DAILY PIRATES NEWS
**Jeff Reed has the weekly preview of who the minor league affiliates are playing, while noting that all of the full-season teams are .500 or above.
**JP Massey was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Month for May. Massey had an 0.72 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 25 innings last month.
**Check out today’s feature from Ryan Palencer, looking at how Carmen Mlodzinski has improved with his aggressive approach.
More Recent Pirates Features
6/4: Williams: Endy Rodriguez, Henry Davis, and the Pirates’ Catcher of the Future
6/2: Pirates Business: Examining the Super Two “Deadline”
5/31: Can Rodolfo Castro Be More Than A Platoon Player?PIRATES RECAP
By Jeff Reed
Final Score: A’s 11, Pirates 2
Player of the Game: Bryan Reynolds 1-for-2, 2 BB
Recap:Neither Mitch Keller nor the Pittsburgh Pirates hitters brought their A game on Tuesday evening.
Much in the same way Oakland Athletics starter JP Sears did on Monday, game two’s starter James Kaprielian filled the bases, but managed to make it through mostly unscathed.
Keller battled most of the evening, and through five innings, the Pirates were knotted up at two all. A couple timely double play balls kept things at bay, but the Athletics finally broke through big in the sixth.
Oakland had two runners on with one out when Jace Peterson hit a RBI single to right field for a 3-2 lead. That knocked Keller out of the game. Reliever Yohan Ramirez entered the game with two on and one out. He proceeded to let the first three batters all reach, Esteury Ruiz by way of a fielder’s choice throwing error from Conner Joe, driving in both inherited runners for an Oakland 5-2 lead.
The final stat line for Keller ended with 5.1 IP, eight hits, five earned runs, four walks, and only one strike out.
As mentioned, Kaprielian was allowing runners, mostly by way of walking batters. Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen both walked with one out in the second inning, but the next two batters were sat down. They combined once again in the fifth for two runners on and no outs, but the Pirates offense was only able to push across one run – the equalizing second run at the time – on a Josh Palacios groundout. That was after Joe had loaded the bases with a one-out walk.
Rule 5 selection Jose Hernandez pitched a clean seventh inning on only 11 pitches, striking out one batter.
Things quickly unraveled in the eighth inning. Chase De Jong made his return, and gave up four runs from two two-run home runs by Peterson and Brent Rooker.
Joe and Palacios lead off the bottom half of the eighth with singles, but the Pirates offense faltered with a ground out and ground ball double play. In total, the offense would finish the evening 0-for-13 with RISP.
De Jong served up another two-run home run to the evening’s Pirates killer, Jace Peterson, for the concluding score of 11-2.
Pirates six-game winning streak ends, with Roansy Contreras set to take the mound for Wednesday’s finale and deciding game. First pitch will be at 12:35 PM.
PIRATES PROSPECT WATCH
By John Dreker
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS
Final Score: Omaha 4, Indianapolis 2
Player of the Game: Cam Alldred 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Recap:Henry Davis made his Triple-A debut on Tuesday night, catching and batting fifth in the lineup. He had a somewhat quiet day, as Indianapolis lost 4-2. Davis went 0-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice hit. The opposition went 5-for-6 in stolen bases.
Nick Gonzales and Endy Rodriguez each went 1-for-4 with a single and a walk.
Miguel Andujar and Ryan Vilade each had two hits. Vilade’s triple was the only extra-base hit for the Indians.
Cam Alldred had a strong start, allowing one run over five innings on three hits and no walks. He needed just 51 pitches to get through his day.
John O’Reilly threw a scoreless sixth. Hunter Stratton allowed a run in his two innings. Yerry De Los Santos took the loss with two runs in the ninth.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA
Final Score: Altoona 6, Richmond 4
Player of the Game: Matt Gorski 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI
Recap:Starter Kyle Nicolas was knocked out after just three innings, but Altoona still won 6-4 over Richmond. Nicolas allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, while throwing 73 pitches in his abbreviated time.
Travis MacGregor saved the day in relief, with three perfect shutout innings, striking out five of those nine batters. Cameron Junker allowed a seventh inning run, then Tyler Samaniego and Oliver Garcia finished off the game with shutout innings.
Matt Gorski pulled off his third straight Player of the Game honor by collecting his eighth double and first triple, leading to two runs and two RBIs.
Liover Peguero, Matt Fraizer, Drew Maggi and Andres Alvarez each had two hits. Fraizer hit his tenth double. Peguero hit his 13th double.
Abrahan Gutierrez went 0-for-3 with a walk in his Double-A debut.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO
Final Score: Greensboro 2, Wilmington 1
Player of the Game: Anthony Solometo 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Recap:Anthony Solometo had a strong game on Tuesday night, allowing one unearned run over six innings, with five hits, one walk and four strikeouts. He now has a 2.47 ERA, 61 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP over 54.2 innings.
The bullpen was equally impressive, as Santiago Florez, Mitchell Miller and Cy Nielson combined to allow no hits and one walk over the final three scoreless innings.
Obviously there wasn’t much offense in a game with three runs. Tsung-Che Cheng had Greensboro’s only extra-base hit, his ninth double. Tres Gonzalez had two hits and a run.
All three runs in the game scored on outs. Will Matthiessen and Sammy Siani each had a sacrifice fly.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON
Final Score: Bradenton 10, Dunedin 3
Player of the Game: Jack Brannigan 3-for-5, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Recap:Jack Brannigan had a career night on Tuesday in Bradenton’s 10-6 win. He homered twice, doubled, scored three runs and drove in six. He had just one homer and one double coming into the day.
Enmanuel Terrero had a nice day as well, with three hits and three runs. He collected his fourth triple.
Rodolfo Nolasco hit his fifth homer and drove in three runs. Termarr Johnson didn’t have any hits, but he did just fine anyway by walking four times.
Deivis Nadal stole his 13th base. Jesus Castillo had two steals, giving him 11 on the season.
Javier Rivas went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and a walk. Shalin Polanco went 1-for-5 with a single and three strikeouts.
Owen Kellington worked hard to get through three innings on two runs allowed. He tossed 62 pitches in his brief time. He has a 4.18 ERA, 41 strikeouts an a 1.48 WHIP over 32.1 innings. Owen Sharts allowed a run over two frames, while picking up the win.
Brandan Bidois, Darvin Garcia and Carlos Lomeli combined for four shutout innings on one hit, no walks and five strikeouts.
ROOKIE: FCL PIRATES
Final Score: Braves 7, Pirates 6
Player of the Game: Jauri Custodio 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
Recap:The Pirates lost 7-6 to the Braves on Tuesday. Geronimo Franzua got the start on rehab in his first appearance with the Pirates since signing a minor league deal in the off-season. He threw a scoreless inning.
It was an ugly bullpen game from there, with four relievers combined to allow seven runs on 11 hits, seven walks, three errors and a hit batter.
Jauri Custodio had the big game on the offensive side, with a single, double, two walks, a run scored and an RBI.
Yordany De Los Santos went 0-for-5 with an error. Lonnie White Jr went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a walk.
The Pirates scored two in the first on an Axiel Plaz sacrifice fly and a wild pitch. Rehabbing Jack Herman drove in a pair in the second with a double.
Bases loaded walks to Jhonson Pena and Custodio brought in the final two runs in the fourth. The Pirates were leading 6-4 at the time. Plaz and White Jr struck out with the bases loaded in that fourth inning to keep the Pirates from adding much needed insurance runs.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the sixth on three walks to start the frame, but White Jr, De Los Santos and Omar Alfonzo couldn’t get a run home. The Pirates had a total of 12 runners on base after their final run, so they really let this game get away from them.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES BLACK
Final Score: Tigers 3, Pirates 2
Player of the Game: July Vittini 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Recap:The Pirates Black mounted a late comeback, but fell short to drop to 0-2 in a 3-2 loss to the Tigers. July Vittini hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. They then loaded the bases with no outs on a double by Angel Perez, a walk to Alex Aquino and a fielder’s choice with Christopher Orelin up. That was followed by a strikeout, pop out and fly out to end the game.
The Pirates had two singles prior to the ninth inning. Aquino and Vittini each reached base twice with a hit and a walk. No one else reached more than once.
Cuban signing Cristian Jauregui had a rough debut yesterday going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. It didn’t get any better today, as he went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. Angel Rodriguez also went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, though he added a walk.
Starter Carlos Castillo allowed one run over 2.2 innings, with three hits, two walks and two strikeouts. Dariel Francia allowed two runs over 3.1 innings in his pro debut, though he picked up four strikeouts.
Yoerys Hernandez threw two scoreless. Janderson Linares debuted with three strikeouts in his only inning.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES GOLD
Final Score: Pirates 7, Tigers 3
Player of the Game: Gustavo Armas 4-for-5, 3B, 2 RBI, SB
Recap:The Pirates Gold moved to 2-0 win a 7-3 victory on Tuesday. Starter Alexis Torres went 2.1 innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits, two walks and four strikeouts. He was followed by 3.2 scoreless from Hader Blanco. Jesus Clode finished off the win with two runs over three innings, one of those runs being earned.
Five errors in the game contributed to those two unearned runs.
Gustavo Armas had a big game, collecting four hits, including a triple. He scored one run and drove in a pair, while picking up his first steal.
The Pirates scored six runs in the second inning. Fabian Urbina started it with an RBI single. Armas drove in a pair with a single. Juan Machado had an RBI single next, then Ruben Vizcaya had an RBI ground out.
A wild pitch in the ninth scored Urbina with an insurance run.
Machado and Urbina each had two hits. Carlos Tirado had a single and two walks.
