Pirates End Losing Streak in Tight Win Over Twins

The Pirates also loaded the bases later in the inning, as center fielder Jack Suwinski grounded out, third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes singled, catcher Henry Davis lined out and first baseman Spencer Horwitz walked, but designated hitter Andrew McCutchen flew out and stopped them from adding onto their lead.

Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller made his 20th start of the season and after a quick first inning, he allowed a leadoff double to Twins shortstop Carlos Correa in the bottom of the second inning.

Keller would get out of the inning unscathed, striking out Twins right fielder Matt Wallner, forcing third baseman Royce Lewis into a ground out and then first baseman Kody Clemens to fly out.

He allowed a leadoff single to Minnesota left fielder Harrison Bader in the bottom of the third inning, who then moved to second base on a ground out from catcher Christian Vázquez.

All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton, who hit for the cycle the game prior, would double off of Keller, scoring Bader and tying the game up, 1-1 for the Twins.

Keller got Twins second baseman Willi Castro to ground out and designated hitter Trevor Larnach to fly out, keeping it level at the end of the third inning.

Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off the top of the fifth inning with a single and after a fly out from Horwitz, McCutchen singled, putting two runners on for the Pirates with one out.

The Pirates again left runners on base, as Reynolds would strikeout and Gonzales grounded out.

Keller would finish another great start after six innings, allowing just four hits, no walks and an earned run, while posting three strikeouts over 83 pitchers, earning his 14th quality start.

Kiner-Falefa got his third hit of the game in the top of the seventh inning with one out. He made it to second base on a ground out from Horwitz, but McCutchen struck out and kept the game tied.

Pirates left-handed relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson threw a scoreless seventh inning, but right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana had some trouble in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Santana got Bader to fly out, but then allowed back-to-back singles to Vázquez and Buxton. Castro hit a bouncer in front of home plate, that Davis quickly got and threw Vázquez out at third base, then Larnach flew out, as Santana kept it level for the Pirates.

Twins right-handed pitcher Jhoan Duran took over in the top of the ninth inning and struck out Suwinski.

Hayes then singled off Duran and Oneil Cruz, who departed the game prior with pain in his hip flexor, came on as a pinch-hitter and reached first base on a single. Kiner-Falefa loaded the bases a single, his fourth hit of the game, which marked his first time doing so with the Pirates.

Horwitz hit a grounder to Brooks Lee, playing second baseman for the Twins, who came up with the ball, but couldn't get it out of his glove fast enough, settling for the out at first base, as Hayes came home and scored, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

McCutchen would strikeout, which saw right-handed pitcher David Bednar come on for the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Bednar allowed a leadoff single to Correa, but got Lee with a curveball for the first out of the inning. He would use a curveball against Castro on a full-count for the second out and then got Ty France to ground out, securing the win for the Pirates.

This keeps Bednar perfect on save opportunites on the season, with 13-for-13 in 2025.

The Pirates will have the next four days off for the All-Star break, before starting a nine-game homestand, with a weekend series vs. the Chicago White Sox at PNC Park, July 18-20.