Pirates Mitch Keller hungry for wins, while Reds Chase Burns chases history

In search of his first win in more than a month, Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller hopes to recapture the good vibes from his last outing against the Cincinnati Reds.

The visiting Pirates look to even their four-game series against the Reds in Sunday’s finale.

In a 9-4 home win over the Reds on June 28, Keller gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits, walking one and striking out four over six innings.

The right-hander was 0-2 in four July starts. He settled for a no-decision in his home start on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.

“When stuff is going well, your confidence is up a little bit,” said Keller (6-7, 4.83 ERA). “I’ve got to keep working. Keep going. We still have a lot to accomplish as a team.”

Keller has made 21 career starts against the Reds and is 5-6 with a 5.25 ERA.

The Pirates placed Ryan O’Hearn (left quad strain) on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. A first baseman and outfielder, O’Hearn is expected to miss six to eight weeks after he was injured running to first base in the ninth inning of the Pirates’ 8-7 loss on Friday.

O’Hearn is hitting .270 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs.

Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said Saturday’s 4-1 win that featured a 106-minute rain delay showed his club’s toughness.

“We’ve talked about the resilience of this team,” Kelly said. “The fight that is in that clubhouse. … (Friday’s loss) was a tough game, and so was losing O’Hearn.”

The Reds will counter with 23-year-old Chase Burns (12-1, 2.40). While Cincinnati is going for a series win, Burns is chasing history.

Burns, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has had a breakout season. The right-hander is unbeaten (11-0) over his last 16 starts and has pitched at least five innings in all 20 of his starts this season.

A win Sunday would move Burns within one victory of Brooks Lawrence, who won 13 consecutive decisions for the Reds in 1956, his lone All-Star season. Burns’ 16-game streak without a loss is the longest run by a Cincinnati pitcher since Ewell Blackwell racked up 16 wins in a 17-start span in 1947.

Burns took a no-decision in his last start, a 6-5 home loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. He allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts over five innings. Four Cleveland runs came in the first inning.

“It’s all about seeing how many zeros you can put up and getting through five innings,” Burns said.

At a career-high 112 2/3 innings in his second season, Burns earned his first All-Star selection but did not participate in the game because of a groin issue.

Burns has made five career appearances, including four starts, against the Pirates. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, striking out 37 while walking five over 26 innings.

Sunday’s outing will be his fourth against Pittsburgh this season.

The Reds managed just three hits in Saturday’s loss.

“(Pirates starter Braxton) Ashcraft has got a fabulous arm,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “I actually thought the rain might help us because it got him out of there. But (reliever) Carmen Mlodzinski is pretty good in that role.”

–Field Level Media