Doubling down: Mitch Keller gets run support, as Pirates hit 8 doubles to defeat Detroit

In a bizarro world game for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mitch Keller got run support, Oneil Cruz made an alert baserunning play to steal a run and they capitalized with runners in scoring position.

The Pirates reversed their regular results by repeatedly taking advantage of mishaps by the American League-best Detroit Tigers in a way they couldn’t over the weekend against the AL-worst Chicago White Sox.

The Pirates doubled down on Detroit. Spencer Horwitz, Tommy Pham and Oneil Cruz each had two doubles as the Pirates had eight doubles in an 8-5 win over the Tigers on Tuesday night before 17,257 at PNC Park.

“Proud of the way we responded after that White Sox series to come out against a really good Tigers team,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “Starting pitching sets the tone, and the way we’ve been able to stack at-bats, run the bases.”

It marked the first time that the Pirates had eight doubles and three players had two doubles each in a game since Pokey Reese, Brian Giles and Abraham Nunez did so in a 17-10 win at the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug, 24, 2002. Horwitz, Pham and Bryan Reynolds had three-hit games, and Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes each had two as the Pirates had 14 hits against the Tigers and went 7 for 19 with runners in scoring position.

In his final home start before the trade deadline, where he’s considered a potential candidate to be dealt, Keller (4-10) delivered his 15th quality start of the season. The veteran right-hander allowed three runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts through six innings.

“It’s really impressive, how he’s been able to take the ball and always give us a shot to win games,” Pirates closer David Bednar said of Keller. “That’s all you can ask for out of him. What he’s been able to do this year has been really impressive. Can’t say enough good things about what he’s meant to this team.”

The Pirates scored one run or fewer in seven of Keller’s first 20 starts but surpassed that total in the second inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the second against Casey Mize (9-4) with a double off the Clemente Wall, Henry Davis drew a full-count walk and Isiah Kiner-Falefa laid down a bunt single to load the bases for Horwitz, who hit a two-run double to the left-center gap to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Kiner-Falefa was thrown out at home plate by Javier Baez on a Nick Gonzales grounder to short. It marked the second straight inning that Baez threw out a runner at the plate after getting Horwitz in the first.

In the third, Cruz roped a 114-mph double that center fielder Parker Meadows lost in the sun. When Hayes reached on a throwing error by third baseman Zach McKinstry, Cruz rounded third and saw Torkelson was slow to retrieve the ball so he broke for home and slid past the tag of catcher Jake Rogers to give the Pirates a 3-0 advantage.

“That was unbelievable,” Kelly said. “There’s not many guys that can score on that ball. For him to keep his head up, keep moving, to see the acceleration and speed and the energy that he brings when he runs the bases like that.”

The Tigers threatened to score in the fourth, when Wenceel Perez drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on Torkelson’s single to left and was called safe while sliding headfirst into home plate on what appeared to be a sacrifice fly to right by McKinstry. But the Pirates challenged and when replays showed that Perez never touched home plate, the call was overturned, and the Tigers remained scoreless.

“I had no idea we were even challenging. I was like, ‘Why are we wasting this time?’ That’s probably the luckiest I’ve ever been on the field,” Keller said, tipping his cap to video coordinator Kevin Roach. “I owe Roachie something, probably more than a beer. I’ve never seen that before. From my vantage point, I could’ve sworn his whole hand went over the plate. I don’t know what the value of one run is, but I owe him that.”

The Pirates added to their lead with four hits in the bottom of the fourth. Horwitz doubled to right and scored on a Reynolds single to left. Reynolds, who advanced to second on the throw, scored on Pham’s single to right to make it 5-0. Cruz followed with a single to right, but Pham was thrown out at home on a 9-6-2 relay throw to end the inning.

Keller’s shutout bid ended abruptly in the fifth, when Meadows drew a leadoff walk, Baez singled to left and Rogers sent a first-pitch slider 407 feet to center for his second home run to cut it to 5-3.

In the sixth, Riley Greene singled and Meadows drew a two-out walk, but Keller got Baez looking at a 1-2 fastball for a called third strike to strand both runners.

Horwitz started the sixth with a strikeout but reached base on a wild pitch by reliever Carlos Hernandez, then advanced to second on a groundout by Gonzales. Reynolds singled to score Horwitz for a 6-3 lead and advanced to second on the throw home. When Pham followed with a double to drive in Reynolds to make it 7-3, the Tigers turned to lefty Brant Hurter. But Cruz drew a four-pitch walk and Hayes singled to score Pham for an 8-3 lead.

“We were swinging,” Keller said. “I looked up at the board and everyone was 3 for 4 or 2-for. It’s just awesome to see. It makes giving up a three-run homer a little less painful when you’ve got a lead like that, for sure. It’s awesome to see. The dugout is awesome, the clubhouse is fun. Winning is fun.”

Torkelson doubled off lefty Caleb Ferguson to lead off the eighth and Jahmai Jones hit a full-count cutter 451 feet to left for a pinch-hit homer to cut it to 8-5.

The Pirates inserted Bednar for the third consecutive game. He gave up a walk and a single in the ninth but struck out Perez and Greene to stretch his streak of games without allowing an earned run to 21 consecutive and earn his 15th save. The Pirates have a chance to sweep the three-game series Wednesday afternoon in the finale.

“That was just two complete team wins,” Bednar said. “To seal the deal and go for the sweep tomorrow is big.”