Pirates

Pirates Preview: Bucs Go for Second Straight Series Sweep

Published

1 week ago

July 2, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Pittsburgh Pirates edged the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 for their fifth-straight win on Tuesday night at PNC Park.

The Bucs played terrific defense throughout the game, and Henry Davis broke the scoreless tie in the eighth to carry them to another win.

The Pirates (37-50), who only had one this season entering the homestand, will look for their second straight series sweep in Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals (47-40)

First pitch is set for 12:35 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh, MLB Network and 100.1 FM & AM 1020

Weather

Mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the low-to-mid 80s. Winds NW at 5 mph.

RHP Mitch Keller (2-10, 3.90 ERA) Will Start For the Pirates

Keller earned his second win of the season his last time out when he held the Mets to one run on five hits in 5.1 innings.

It was Keller first win since his 2025 debut on March 28 in Miami and his first win at PNC Park since last year on July 8.

After allowing six runs in 6.1 innings against the Houston Astros in his first start of June, Keller concluded the month by posting a 3.13 ERA over his final four starts.

In 15 starts against St. Louis in his career, Keller is 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA.

RHP Sonny Gray (8-2, 3.36 ERA) Will Start For the Cardinals

Gray’s last start was about as dominant as a pitcher can be. The right-hander needed only 86 pitched and struck out 11 in a complete game, one-hit shutout against the Cleveland Guardians.

The veteran right-hander has not been scored upon in four of his last seven starts dating back to May 7 and is 5-1 with a 2.82 ERA over that span.

The Cardinals are 13-3 in games started by Gray this season and have won eight of the last nine he started.

In his career against the Pirates, Gray is 7-4 with a 3.66 ERA. He has a 1.47 ERA in four appearances at PNC Park.

Cardinals Hitters vs. Keller

Nolan Arenado: 4 for 27, one double, one home run, four RBI, one walk, four strikeouts
Willson Contreras: 7 for 24, three doubles, one home run, two RBI, three walks, 10 strikeouts
Brendan Donovan: 5 for 24, one double, one home run, one RBI
Lars Nootbaar: 8 for 21, one double, one home run, three RBI, five walks, four strikeouts
Nolan Gorman: 5 for 19, one double, two home runs, five RBI, three walks, five strikeouts
Masyn Winn: 6 for 18, three doubles, one triple, two RBI, one walk, three strikeouts
Alec Burleson: 4 for 18, one double, one home run, two RBI, three strikeouts
Pedro Pagés: 3 for 12, one RBI, three strikeouts
Victor Scott II: 2 for 4, one walk, two strikeouts
José Fermín: 2 for 3, one triple

Pirates Hitters vs. Gray

Bryan Reynolds: 7 for 24: two doubles, three home runs, four RBI, nine strikeouts
Adam Frazier: 3 for 23, two RBI, three strikeouts
Andrew McCutchen: 4 for 17, two doubles, two RBI, two walks, seven strikeouts
Ke’Bryan Hayes: 3 for 14, two RBI, six strikeouts
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2 for 8, one double, one RBI, two strikeouts
Oneil Cruz: 1 for 8, one double, four strikeouts
Tommy Pham: 1 for 7, one double, one walk, two strikeouts
Nick Gonzales: 3 for 6, two doubles, one strikeout
Joey Bart: 1 for 6, one double, two walks, one strikeout

Tidbits

Pirates’ pitching has blanked the Cardinals in each of the first two games of this series and hasn’t allowed a run over their last 22 innings.
Paul Skenes, who started for the Pirates on Tuesday, hasn’t won a game since May 8 despite a 1.77 ERA in six starts since.
Mitch Keller enters Wednesday one strikeout shy of tying Paul Maholm (383) for the most strikeouts in PNC Park history.