Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller pitches in the bottom of the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jean J. Pasker)
PITTSBURGH — Cutter Crawford pitched six innings, allowing one run, and the Boston Red Sox defeated the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Saturday.
Crawford (1-0, 0.66 ERA) had six strikeouts and three walks. The 28-year-old right-hander hasn't allowed fewer than three hits in any of his past four starts, but he did allow a season-high seven hits. He has two hits in each of his last three starts and has allowed three runs in 27 1/3 innings pitched this season.
Boston entered the series having lost seven of 10 games before winning the first two games of a three-game set. Pittsburgh has lost five straight for the eighth time in their first 10 games with an 11-5 record.
Kenley Jansen made his fifth save with a strikeout in the ninth inning, including Michael A. Taylor, who got two outs with an automatic strikeout outside the set. Pirates manager Derek Shelton insisted on calling for a strike against Taylor, and he was fired.
Pirates ace Mitch Keller (2 wins, 2 losses) gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks in 6 innings. After taking the lead with a triple by Jalen Duran, they allowed two runs in the first inning, but in the next four innings they faced one batter and allowed the fewest runs.
In the 6th inning, Masanao Yoshida sent a ball to Keller and hit a 395-foot hanging sinker to right-center field for a two-run home run, giving the Red Sox a 4-1 lead.
Crawford allowed one runner every six innings.
Pittsburgh took the lead in the fourth run with Ke'Bryan Hayes' double to right-center field. After Jared Toriolo hit a two-out single to left to score Hayes and cut the Pirates' lead to 2-1, Crawford stuck O'Neal Cruz with a runner on the corner.
Crawford then struck out Jack Swinski and Joey Bart, saving himself from a difficult situation with one out and the bases loaded in the first inning.
Connor Joe hit a pinch-hit home run to put the Pirates ahead in the eighth inning.
trainer room
Red Sox: After giving out a walk in the first inning, 1B Triston Casas left the game due to discomfort in his left rib. …INF Rafael Devers (knee) and OF Tyler O'Neal (concussion) could return for Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians, manager Alex Cora said.
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LHP Martin Perez (1-0, 2.55) will take the mound for the Pirates in Sunday's series finale. The Red Sox have not announced their starting pitcher.
