Reds Rough Up Rookie To Split With Pirates

It was the day Mitch Keller dreamed of while he was in Cedar Rapids attending Xavier High School.

He probably imagined dominating the batting order, racking up strikeout after strikeout.  The reality was harsh.  The Pirates needed innings out of Keller, who was undefeated this season in Triple A at Indianapolis.  He was 5-0 with two of those wins coming against the Reds' Triple A Louisville team.

The reality is he was the losing pitcher in an 8-1 Reds' rout.

He may have faced Nick Senzel, the Reds' leadoff hitter there.

Senzel drew a walk to start the game.  Jesse Winker singled.  Eugenio Suarez walked.  Keller was surrounded by the enemy.   Then a glimpse of the dream.  He struck out Derek Dietrich on three pitches.  The imposing Yasiel Puig singled for one run.  Jose Iglesias hit his fourth home run of the season and his first career grand slam.  Jose Peraza flew out but it continued.  Curt Casali hit a ground rule double.  Opposing pitcher Sonny Gray beat out an infield hit.  Senzel singled to make it a 6-0 game.

"I just put a good swing on it," Iglesias said.  "Every time you put your team in position to get such a lead it feels good."

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle needed some innings out of Keller.  The 23-year old quietly retired the next nine batters until Winker singled for the second time.

'We knew we had an opportunity in the first inning," David Bell said. "The grand slam was huge, Their pitcher settled down and actually did a good job for them.  Many times you get a lead against a good team you let them get back into it."

The Pirates hitters were trying to solve Gray.

Bryan Reynolds hit a double in the first inning.  Jacob Stallings singled in the second, then Gray retired seven straight through four innings.  Gary struck out Gregory Polanco to get out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth.

The Pirates nicked Gray for a run in the sixth.  Reynolds singled; went to third on Josh Bell's double and scored on a ground out by Jose Osuna.

"Not only did we need that game but we needed him to go deeper," Bell said. "He finished strong too.  He was outstanding.  He made pitches and competed.  It was fun to watch."

The Reds stopped coasting in the bottom of the seventh when Dietrich and Puis launched long home runs, back-to-back off Alex McRae.  It was the 14th for Dietrich and the 10th for Puig.

Gray has wins in his last two starts after going 0-4 to start the season.  The last two games he has given up one run in 12 innings.

"I had some problems in the fifth and sixth," Gray said. "I was happy to make the pitches to get out of those innings.  I feel like I was throwing ok early in the year but i was giving up the three-run home run or the two out double.  The last two games, I've been able to make the pitches I needed to make."