Mitch Keller throws 2 scoreless innings, Pirates lose spring training opener to Twins
BRADENTON, Fla. — Mitch Keller is competing for a spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting rotation, so throwing two scoreless innings was a good start for the spring training opener.
That’s especially true after the 23-year-old right-hander, the team’s top pitching prospect, allowed 10 runs in four games and had a 22.50 ERA last spring.
“Every time out there is an audition for me, really, and I’ve got to bring it every time,” said Keller, who allowed two hits. “Last year, I struggled, I think, every single game I pitched up here. It’s just a different attitude, more confidence going out there.”
The Minnesota Twins followed with a two-run third for a 2-1 victory over the Pirates on Saturday afternoon in the Grapefruit League opener at LECOM Park, which marked Derek Shelton’s debut as Pirates manager.
“I thought he was good,” Shelton said of Keller. “For the first time to get out there and compete, it was nice to see. I know there was some nerves for him — new manager, new pitching coach, go out and pitch in front of them for the first time, but I thought the ball came out of his hand pretty well.”
James Marvel relieved Keller and allowed two runs in the third inning on three hits and two walks. Willians Astudillo singled to left field to score Zander Wiel and Jake Cave singled to center to score Luis Arraez. Marvel did get out of a bases-loaded jam, forcing Royce Lewis to fly out to left.
The Pirates didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning, when Cole Tucker singled to shallow center. They cut it to 2-1 in the seventh when Jason Delay drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ double off the right-field wall and scored on Andrew Susac’s infield grounder. Hayes, however, was thrown out at the plate while attempting to score the tying run.
Relievers Clay Holmes and Blake Cederlind were impressive for the Pirates. Holmes needed only seven pitches to force three groundouts and get through the fifth inning. Cederlind touched 98 mph on the radar on his first pitch of the ninth, when he struck out two and walked one.
The Pirates had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth after Hayes walked and Oneil Cruz singled to center, but Jake Elmore hit into a game-ending double play.
Love baseball? Stay up-to-date with the latest Pittsburgh Pirates news.
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.