Baseball's hot streaks are one of those phenomenons that keep fans on the edge of their seats and Pittsburgh Pirates' Mitch Keller is currently the name on everybody's lips. Keller dominated on the mound as the Pirates clinched a 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves this Saturday. Keller's excellence extended his winning spree to four consecutive starts, an impressive feat underscored by a 1.30 ERA in May, as per reports by WFMJ.
Keller lasted 6 2/3 innings against the Braves, allowing just a single run on six hits, and perhaps most impressively, issued no walks while striking out four. "I think (I'm) just filling the zone up, attacking guys, getting ahead and staying ahead, using the full mix of my arsenal," Keller told WFMJ. The right-hander has worked at least five innings in each of his last 42 starts, the longest active streak in the majors. His 6-3 record is a testament to his consistency and growing dominance.
On the offensive front, Nick Gonzales played a key part in the Pirates' win with an RBI double that helped edge the Pirates past their opponents. "I’m just in a better position with my swing and timing and getting a good swing off,” Gonzales explained about his improved performance from a .209 hitting average last season. As highlighted by WFMJ, Gonzales is currently hitting .307 with 14 RBI in 15 games since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis.
The celebration of past glories married well with the present success as Pirates players donned throwback caps in honor of the 45th anniversary of the 1979 team's World Series title. Veterans of the club, such as Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven and two-time National League MVP Dave Parker, were honored in a pre-game ceremony. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's bullpen held firm, with Colin Holderman retiring four of the five batters he faced, and David Bednar sealing the deal against Ronald Acuna Jr. to score his 11th save, CBS News Pittsburgh reports make the match a fitting homage to the legendary team.
The Braves faced a tougher day with Reynaldo López (2-2) struggling to find his rhythm. Even with a strong start to the season, López's ERA crept up to 1.75 as he only retired the Pirates in order once through 4 2/3 innings, according to what he began the day with. Atlanta's offense did little to rally, managing just a single extra-base hit in a defeat described by WFMJ as their "second straight loss."
.jpg){kind=link}