Pirates Three Stars of the Week: Rich Hill Turns Back Time

The Pittsburgh Pirates only played five games last week as they were able to enjoy a pair of off days around their two series.

In those five games, the Pirates went 2-3, splitting a brief two-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park before dropping two out of three to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates currently sit at 24-22 and are one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League Central.

Though he didn’t quite make the top three, Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in six runs in a two-game stretch as he has started to show some signs of life at the plate.

Here are the Pittsburgh Pirates’ three stars from last week.

Third Star: Andrew McCutchen – .350/.409/.350, 7 for 20, one RBI

McCutchen was on base at least one time in every game last week and has looked good in the leadoff spot of the lineup since Derek Shelton shuffled up the lineup card.

McCutchen enters this week looking to become the 12th Pittsburgh Pirates’ player in history to record 1,500 hits with the team as he is just one base hit away from doing so.

Second Star: Mitch Keller – 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 innings, three hits, two runs, no walks, eight strikeouts, one start

Keller is starting to become a regular on this list and how could he not be? The right-hander has not only established himself as the ace of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ staff, but he’s become one of the better pitchers in the National League.

Keller again looked good on the mound against Arizona in his lone start of the week although the Pirates ended up losing the game.

First Star: Rich Hill – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 innings, one hit, no runs, two walks, seven strikeouts, one start

Hill had his best start in a Pirates’ uniform after pitching a gem against the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon. After Detroit started the game with an infield single, they couldn’t manage another hit against the veteran left-hander.

The 43-year-old Hill also won a footrace to the bag against 40-year-old Miguel Cabrera in a comical moment in the game.