Mitch Keller ends his historic 15-start winless streak as the Pittsburgh Pirates crush the New York Mets 9-1 on June 28, 2025. Read how the ace got his win.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Exhale, Pittsburgh. After 15 long starts spanning three months, Mitch Keller is finally back in the win column. The Pirates' ace delivered another quality outing, but this time, the offense showed up in a massive way, routing the New York Mets 9-1 at a rain-delayed PNC Park and providing a much-needed jolt of energy for a team that had lost eight of its last 11.
Mitch Keller's victory was his first since Opening Day, ending a 15-start winless streak—the longest in a single season in Pirates franchise history.
It's the win every Pirates fan has been waiting for. Mitch Keller (2-10) was sharp through 5 1/3 innings, allowing only a solo shot to Juan Soto while striking out four. The victory ends a historically frustrating stretch for Keller, who has been one of the team's most consistent pitchers despite his record. He's allowed three or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 11 starts, but the bats repeatedly fell silent behind him. On Saturday, that narrative flipped completely, as the team finally gave him the cushion he needed to pitch with confidence and secure a win that felt bigger than just one game.
The Pirates didn't just give Keller run support; they gave him an avalanche. The tone was set in the second inning when the Bucs hung a four-spot on the Mets. The rally was a true team effort, with Jared Triolo, Alexander Canario, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and the scorching-hot Tommy Pham all driving in runs to build a lead the team would never relinquish. It was the kind of decisive, multi-run inning that has been painfully absent for much of the season.
Leading the charge was Bryan Reynolds, who looks to be officially breaking out of his June slump. Reynolds went 3-for-5, punctuating his day with a towering 402-foot, three-run homer in the sixth that blew the game wide open at 8-1. With four multi-hit games in his last five, Reynolds is finding his stroke at the perfect time. Meanwhile, Tommy Pham continued his torrid pace, adding two more RBIs. Over his last four games, Pham has been a one-man wrecking crew, going 8-for-15 (.533) with eight RBIs, providing a consistent threat in the middle of the order.
While the individual performances were stellar, this victory was crucial for the team's psyche. It snapped a nasty slide and showcased the formula for success: solid starting pitching paired with timely, aggressive hitting. With no trades or major roster moves on the horizon, the Pirates need their current players to perform, and Saturday was a perfect example of their potential. It was a complete game in all facets, providing a blueprint for how this team can win moving forward.
One dominant win doesn't erase a tough stretch, but it can be the spark that ignites a turnaround. The challenge now is to bottle this energy and carry it into the rest of the series against the Mets. With Keller's streak finally behind him and key bats like Reynolds and Pham heating up, there's a renewed sense of optimism. Now, let's see if they can build on it and start stacking some wins.
