PITTSBURGH — Mitch Keller, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ right-handed starting pitcher, struggled again in the team’s 7-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on August 19 at PNC Park. Keller’s ongoing difficulties have contributed significantly to the Pirates’ disappointing stretch of games during the season.

The Pirates’ loss evened the three-game series after their 5-2 win on August 18. Pittsburgh has now dropped eight of their last ten games, including a single victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 15 and consecutive defeats against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field from August 11 to 13, followed by consecutive home losses to the Cincinnati Reds on August 9 and 10.

Game Overview and Keller’s Performance Details

With the defeat, the Pirates’ overall record fell to 53-74, although they remain 35-30 at home. The Blue Jays improved to 74-53 overall and balanced their road record at 32-32. Keller’s difficulties surfaced early in the game when he hit Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer with a pitch, then walked right fielder Addison Barger and shortstop Bo Bichette to load the bases.

Following these walks, catcher Alejandro Kirk singled, scoring Springer to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. However, Kirk’s baserunning error led to second baseman Nick Gonzales tagging him out after Kirk overran first base. Keller then surrendered another single to left fielder Nathan Lukes, which brought in Barger and Bichette, pushing the Blue Jays ahead 3-0 by the third inning’s start.

Blue Jays first baseman Ty France reached base after Pirates shortstop Jared Triolo dropped the ball. Despite this, Keller minimized further damage by striking out third baseman Ernie Clement and inducing a groundout from second baseman Andrés Giménez to end the inning.

Early Offensive Opportunities for the Pirates

In response, Pirates right fielder Bryan Reynolds hit a two-out double in the first inning, followed by a strong hit from Gonzales, though their momentum was halted when Gonzales flew out to the warning track. Keller’s struggles continued in the second inning as he walked center fielder Myles Straw and surrendered a two-run home run to George Springer, a deep 423-foot swing to center field, which increased Toronto’s lead to 5-0.

The Pirates countered in the bottom of the second inning, loading the bases with no outs thanks to walks from Max Scherzer of the Blue Jays to designated hitter Andrew McCutchen and center fielder Jack Suwinski, alongside catcher Joey Bart reaching first on a ground ball. Despite this promising start, only one run scored when Triolo struck out, third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out, and left fielder Ronny Simon popped out, trimming the deficit to 5-1.

Mid-Game Struggles and Defensive Highlights

Keller allowed back-to-back singles to Lukes and France in the third inning but was aided by a smart defensive play from Joey Bart, who fielded a bunt attempt and initiated a double play. Keller capped the inning by striking out Giménez.

The fourth inning proved increasingly troublesome. Keller gave up a leadoff double to Straw and a single to Springer, which advanced Straw to third. He fell behind further after delivering a wild pitch, allowing Springer to reach second base. Keller did strike out Barger before Pirates manager Don Kelly removed him in favor of right-handed reliever Yohan Ramírez.

Ramírez performed well, inducing groundouts and strikeouts that stranded runners and prevented the Blue Jays from further extending their lead.

Final Pitching Lines and Continued Difficulties for Keller

Keller’s outing lasted just 3.1 innings, during which he threw 85 pitches, gave up seven hits, three walks, five earned runs, and allowed one home run. This game marked his third start in the last four where he has conceded at least five earned runs, pushing his season ERA to 4.34.

Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz and second baseman Nick Gonzales achieved back-to-back singles in the sixth inning, but the team failed to capitalize further as Andrew McCutchen lined out and Jack Suwinski struck out.

The Blue Jays’ ace, 41-year-old Max Scherzer, delivered a strong performance, limiting the Pirates to four hits, three walks, and one earned run while striking out four batters over six innings and throwing 104 pitches.

Relief Pitching and Late-Game Developments

Yohan Ramírez bolstered the Pirates’ bullpen performance with three shutout innings, striking out three batters and allowing no baserunners. After Ramírez left in the seventh inning with one out, right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman replaced him but struggled immediately.

Holderman’s three sinkers faced mixed luck: the first was a single to Bichette, the second went into the dirt, and the third was hit hard by Kirk, a 409-foot two-run home run that extended Toronto’s lead to 7-1.

The Pirates showed some life offensively late in the game. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Bart singled and Triolo followed with a double. Despite Kiner-Falefa striking out, Ronny Simon hit a sacrifice fly that brought Bart home, reducing the gap to 7-2.

In the eighth inning, Jack Suwinski singled, scoring Gonzales who had reached second base earlier after an error, bringing the score to 7-3.

Looking Ahead for the Pirates

The Pirates will attempt to secure the series victory in the final game against the Blue Jays on August 20, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:35 p.m. This series finale represents another opportunity for the team to break their recent losing pattern and improve their standing.