Mitch Keller shined on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-1 at Fenway Park on Wednesday to complete the three-game sweep.
Keller (1-0) completed seven innings for the third time in his big league career. He allowed just a single run on four hits, a pair of walks and recorded seven strikeouts. He threw a career-high 107 pitches, 78 of which were strikes. Keller’s 78 strikes were the most by a Pirates’ pitcher in a game since Gerrit Cole in 2015.
Keller didn’t find himself in hot water until his final inning. With two outs in the seventh, Triston Casas doubled and ultimately scored on a Christian Arroyo infield single.
Initially, it looked like Boston (2-4) would tie the game later in the inning with what was originally ruled a three-run home run by pinch hitter Reese McGuire. After an umpire meeting, they ruled it a foul ball which was upheld by a quick review. Keller later struck out McGuire to preserve a 4-1 lead.
Carlos Santana lined a solo homer around Fenway’s iconic Pesky Pole in right field in the top of the fourth inning to put the Pirates ahead 1-0. It was Santana’s first home run of the year and it snapped an 0 for 13 skid.
The homer was the only one Red Sox starter Corey Kluber (0-2) allowed in his five innings of work. Kluber allowed two hits, walked one and struck out a pair.
Santana drove in Oneil Cruz for his second RBI of the game in the seventh inning with a two-out double into the right field corner.
With runners on the corners in the top of the sixth inning, Ke’Bryan Hayes laid down a perfect bunt which allowed Bryan Reynolds to score. Hayes won a footrace to the first base bag and reached with a single.
Reynolds doubled to begin the inning, extending his hitting streak to now six games. In the seventh, Reynolds drove in Jason Delay with a sacrifice fly to left field to extend the Pirates lead to 3-0.
Duane Underwood Jr. collected his second career save to preserve the victory.
Andrew McCutchen recorded his first two-hit game of the season with a pair of singles and was also hit with a pitch.
After an off day Thursday, the Pirates (4-2) will return to PNC Park on Friday for their home opener against the Chicago White Sox. Rich Hill (0-1, 5.40 ERA) will square off with right-hander Lucas Giolito (0-0, 3.60 ERA). First pitch: 4:12.
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