Ryne Nelson Makes Statement with Dominant Start vs Pirates

The Arizona Diamondbacks snapped their five-game losing streak, shutting out the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 on Memorial Day evening at Chase Field. Ryne Nelson was spectacular, throwing 6.2 scoreless innings. Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor homered and the D-backs rapped out 10 hits.

Nelson dominated a free-swinging Pirates lineup, inducing both swing-and-miss and plenty of early contact. Prior to the game Torey Lovullo said that Nelson was on a 65-70 pitch count limit, as dictated by the medical staff. That ended up being stretched out to 84 pitches, 59 of which were strikes. Nelson threw 6.2 scoreless innings before giving way to reliever Kendall Graveman.

Knowing he needed to be efficient, Nelson did what he usually does, which is pump strikes and get ahead. He threw 18 of 24 first-pitch strikes, struck out four, and didn't walk a batter. He only gave up four hits, and only six of the 20 balls put in play were considered hard-hit (above 95 MPH).

There was no mystery about how Nelson did it either, as 63% of the pitches he threw were fastballs. He simply had his best command of the pitch, and the Pirates could do nothing with him. Nelson's ERA is now down to 3.79 and his FIP is an even better 3.27. His record improves to 2-1.

Prior to the game Torey Lovullo spoke about Eduardo Rodríguez's imminent return from the injured list and the tough decision that lies ahead with regard to Nelson's spot in the rotation. Lovullo said matter-of-factly that Rodríguez would not be sent to the bullpen upon his return, he's a starter. But Nelson's performance may cause the team to rethink that decision.

Related Content: Ryne Nelson's Time in Diamondbacks Rotation Could be Short

Justin Martinez inherited a bases-loaded, nobody out jam in the eighth inning from Scott McGough. Suárez made an error to start the inning, and McGough walked the next two. But Martinez got a strikeout, popout and groundout to restore order. Ryan Thompson pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the shutout.

Suárez's homer was a 433-foot blast to left-center field, his 15th of the year. Naylor tomahawked a fastball well above the zone, driving the ball over the fence in right field for his sixth homer. Ketel Marte had two hits, including a two-out RBI base hit in the second inning. He extended his hitting streak to nine games. It was a rough night for Pirates starter Andrew Heaney, who gave up all five runs in five innings on eight hits.