Pirates score early, often in blowout win against Mets

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 27, 2025

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — For the first time this season, the Pirates scored more than four runs for Mitch Keller.

For the first time in a month, Keller pitched the Pirates to a win.

The Pirates beat the Mets, 9-1, on Friday night at PNC Park, their first win with Keller on the mound since May 24. Keller earned his second win of the season, his first since March 28, and improved to 2-10.

The key was scoring nine runs, the most they’ve scored for Keller since July 14, 2024.

The Pirates didn’t make Keller wait for support, scoring four runs off Mets starter David Peterson (5-4) in the second inning. Four runs matched the most the Pirates have scored for Keller all season, most recently on May 2.

Nine hitters came to the plate in the second. After Joey Bart walked, the Pirates reeled off four consecutive hits: a Ke’Bryan Hayes single, a Jared Triolo single, an Alexander Canario double and an Isiah Kiner-Falefa single. The last three brought a run in, with a fourth scoring on a Tommy Pham fielder’s choice.

And the Pirates kept it rolling, scoring a fifth in the fifth inning when Hayes doubled off the Clemente Wall, scoring Bryan Reynolds. Reynolds made it eight with a three-run homer off reliever Blade Tidwell in the sixth, then the Pirates scored their ninth in the seventh when Canario doubled and Pham singled him home.

Lefty Genesis Cabrera made his Pirates debut in the seventh and completed 1 1/3 innings with a hit batter and a strikeout.

It was over when ...

… Isaac Mattson closed the door in the sixth. Keller left with two on, one out and the Pirates up 5-1, before Mattson got Jeff McNeil to fly out and struck out Mark Vientos. The Mets had one hit in the final three innings, a routine fly out off Mattson in the seventh that Canario lost in the lights.

On the mound

Keller allowed five hits and one run — a Juan Soto homer — in 5 1/3 innings. It may not have been defined as a quality start, but he gave the Pirates a chance to win. This time, they gave him a chance to win, too.

At the plate

The Pirates had 12 hits. Every Pirate reached base, while seven different Pirates scored.

Most valuable player

Reynolds. Reynolds narrowly missed a homer in the fifth, as his double off the Clemente Wall was mere feet from going over. His sixth-inning blast had no such suspense, clearing the right-field bleachers entirely.

Up next

The Pirates and Mets continue their three-game series at 4:05 p.m. Saturday. Bailey Falter (6-3, 3.59 ERA) will throw for Pittsburgh, while the Mets will counter with right-hander Paul Blackburn (0-2, 6.62).