Reynolds Collects 5 Hits, Keller Pitches Gem as Pirates Hold Off Late Charge to Beat Brewers

David Bednar earned his eighth save of the season by tossing a perfect ninth inning.

Keller (4-3) scattered eight hits and didn’t walk a batter while striking out seven. The right-hander threw 100 pitches with 71 of those for strikes.

Keller has allowed one run across 15 innings over his last two starts and has lowered his season ERA to 3.93. Monday marked Keller’s first win against the Brewers in his career. 

Jack Suwinski hit his first home run in almost a month. His two-run shot off of Colin Rea in the top of the first inning gave the Pirates an early two-run lead.

The Pirates (19-23) added another run in the third when Reynolds followed Andrew McCutchen’s leadoff single with a double into the right-field corner. 

Those were the only runs Rea (3-1) allowed in six innings pitched. 

While McCutchen scored the Pirates’ third run, he drove in their fourth. The Pirates’ designated hitter plated Michael A. Taylor with a single down the left field line in the seventh inning.

Two batters later, Oneil Cruz lined a 116.3 mph single to right field to plate McCutchen and put the Pirates ahead 5-0. Cruz finished the game 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. 

The Brewers (24-17) didn’t find the scoreboard until the seventh inning against Fleming. With two aboard, Willy Adames doubled to right field to score a pair. However, a relay from Reynolds and Cruz caught Aames attempting to stretch his double into a triple to end the inning. 

The Pirates quickly recovered those two runs in the top of the eighth inning when Yasmani Grandal launched a two-run home run to right-center. It was the veteran catcher’s second home run in as many starts.

Up Next

Quinn Priester (0-3, 3.86 ERA) will look for his first win of the season in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. Joe Ross (1-4, 4.75 ERA) will start for the Brewers. First pitch: 7:40 ET.