Pirates sweep White Sox to reach .500 heading into All-Star break

Derek Shelton’s ball club is heating up at the right time. After notching a victory Saturday that secured their first three-game win streak in two months, the Pittsburgh Pirates kept the good times rolling Sunday, defeating the White Sox, 9-4, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago to earn a series sweep and improve to 48-48 on the season.

The Pirates are .500 for the first time since April 27 (14-14) and enter the All-Star break having won four-straight and seven of their past 10 games. The sweep marks their second of the year, with the first coming in their first series of the season — a four game set against the Miami Marlins (March 28-31).

“We’ve played really well over the last series,” Shelton told reporters after the win. “Going to Milwaukee and winning two, and then coming here and getting the sweep, just proud of our group.”

After falling behind by a run in both the first and third inning, Shelton’s club took the lead for good in the top of the fourth thanks to a three-run home run from Joey Bart that scored Ke’Bryan Hayes and Joshua Palacios. The Pirates struck big once more in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs thanks to a two-RBI triple from Nick Gonzales, a sacrifice fly from Rowdy Tellez and an RBI double from Palacios.

Bryan Reynolds added one final tally in the top of the eighth with a solo homer, his 18th of the season. The Pirates finished the contest with seven total extra-base hits: four doubles, a triple and two home runs. Jack Suwinski was the lone Pirates batter to go without a base hit or RBI.

Quinn Priester was the game’s winning pitcher, allowing one run, which was earned, on three hits in his two innings of relief. Priester replaced Mitch Keller, the Pirates’ starter in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Pirates used six total pitchers en route to Sunday’s victory. Former Pirate Chad Kuhl was the game’s losing pitcher.

On the mound

A streak that began on April 5, 2023 is now over. Keller's stretch of 5-plus inning outings came to an end at 49-games Sunday afternoon, when he was pulled after only three innings of work.

“No. 1 it was really hot, and No. 2 he was scuffling,” Shelton said. “His breaking ball was starting to back up a little bit. I just didn’t like where he was at. It was the first time I’ve really seen him like that in awhile. Having a full bullpen going into the break, I just decided to get him some rest.”

Keller struggled a bit more than usual in Sunday’s outing, allowing a pair of earned runs off four hits and three walks. He threw 57 pitches, 35 for strikes. His start began with him loading the bases before recording an out.

The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when designated hitter Eloy Jimenez grounded into a double play that scored lead-off hitter Tommy Pham. Andrew Benintendi plated the White Sox’s second run of the game, hitting a solo homer off Keller in the bottom of the third inning to put his club back ahead 2-1. Keller exited the game after finishing the third inning.

“I just kinda felt out of sync a little bit,” Keller told reporters. “I managed through it. Yeah, I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting to come out after three.”

Keller’s streak of 49-straight games with five or more innings pitched is tied with A.J. Burnett for the second longest in franchise history. Wilbur Cooper owns the longest streak in Pirates history (66 games), which went from May 4, 1919 through September 28, 1920.

“Yeah, I guess I understand it,” Keller said when asked if he understood Shelton’s reasoning for his early exit. “It’s just tough to understand. Yeah, I want to be out there.”

At the plate

Four different Pirates (Reynolds, Hayes, Palacios and Oneil Cruz) finished with multi-hit games. Cruz drove home the club’s first run of the day, scoring Reynolds on an RBI double in the top of the third inning.

“We’re starting to swing the bats better,” Shelton said. “We saw that late in the game with some good at-bats.”

Of all the offensive successes throughout the series, Hayes’ efforts were perhaps most notable. The Pirates third baseman tallied seven total hits during his team’s three-game set in Chicago, lifting his batting average to .244 heading into the All-Star break. Hayes went 3 for 5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI on Sunday.

“Just keep swinging,” Hayes told SportsNet Pittsburgh following the team’s win. “That’s one thing I always do, even when I’m struggling. When we were in Milwaukee I hit a couple of balls hard. Felt like I was getting on track, getting the ball in the air a little bit more. I was able to find some holes in this series, and it felt really good.”

They said it

“I think right now, we shouldn’t really be worried so much about our record,” Hayes said. “It’s about taking it one game at a time, making the right plays every day. Over a stretch, the wins are going to come if you’re doing the right things.”

Up next

Monday: Off-day (All-Star break).

Tuesday: MLB All-Star game, Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas.

Probable pitchers: RHP Paul Skenes (6-0, 1.90) for National League; TBA for American League.

Key matchup: Skenes will start on the mound for the National League despite having pitched in just 11 big league games.

Hidden stat: Skenes is the first Pirates pitcher to start the Midsummer Classic since Jerry Reuss did so in 1975.

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