North Shore Nine

The Pirates rode the bats and Mitch Keller tonight to a 9-5 win over the Reds. This gave the the Pirates a one game advantage over their division foes heading into the the series decider tomorrow.

The Pirates started the game with a bang. Andrew McCutchen walked, Bryan Reynolds then followed it up with a 2-run blast. They scored a 3rd run after Rowdy Tellez walked and stole second. Let that sink in. He then scored on a Nick Gonzales single, making it 3-0 Pirates. In the 3rd the Pirates struck again. Reynolds singled, Oneil Cruz singled and Rowdy kept it going with a single of his own. Edward Olivares then singled in 2 making it 5-0 Pirates. Gonzales then singled again re-loading the bases with zero outs. After a Jared Triolo strikeout Yasmani Grandal hit a sac fly to run it to 6-0. Michael A Taylor then struck out to end the top of the inning.

Mitch Keller ran into some trouble in his first innings of work. But his timely pitching came in handy and he was able to come through without giving up a run. In the 5th the Pirates added another 2. Gonzales got his 3rd hit of the night then Jared Triolo parked one in the stands making it 8-0. In the bottom of the frame Keller could not work himself out of trouble. When the dust cleared he had given up 3 and the score was 8-3 going into the 6th.

In the top of the 6th, Tellez got one of the runs back making it 9-3. Cincy then tagged Keller for another run in the bottom of the frame off a Elly De La Cruz triple. However that was the end of the damage for the 6th, and the end of the night for Keller, leaving the score 9-4 going into the 7th. Both the 7th and 8th went by quickly and quietly, leading to the 9th with the Pirates still up 9-4. In the top of the frame the Pirates went 1-2-3, leaving the score the same and bringing on Josh Fleming to pitch. Fleming made it interesting giving up a run, but was able to buckle down and win the game by a final of 9-5.

The Pirates are back in action tomorrow for an afternoon rubber match in Cincinnati.