Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Pick & Prediction MAY 21st 2023
Jacob Hoffman
The Pittsburgh Pirates and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks will both be looking to pick up a series victory when they play the rubber match of their three-game set on Sunday afternoon.
Pittsburgh got to Arizona's ace, Zac Gallen, on Friday in a commanding 13-3 win.
"I felt OK," Gallen said. "I wasn't super sharp."
The Diamondbacks countered with a 4-3 win on Saturday, when it was Arizona's turn to face the opposition's ace, Mitch Keller, the reigning National League Player of the Week. Keller had not allowed a run in his previous two starts, totaling 16 innings.
Keller seemed to be responding to the challenge but was pulled after six innings after giving up two runs on three hits and striking out eight on 84 pitches. His replacement, Robert Stephenson, gave up the deciding hit in the seventh, a two-run homer by Pavin Smith.
"In the sixth inning there, he kind of lost his delivery a little bit," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of his decision to pull Keller. "We saw the pitches start to not have the same action."
The loss came after Pittsburgh had won three of four as it tries to regain its footing following a stretch in which it lost 11 of 12 games.
Arizona has won six of its last eight.
Both teams could have somewhat depleted bullpens Sunday. The Pirates used four relievers, including closer David Bednar, on Saturday. Arizona also used four relievers, including Kyle Nelson, who got the win.
In the series finale, Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (4-3, 2.92 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Pittsburgh right-hander Roansy Contreras (3-4, 4.40).
Kelly is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in his past four starts.
In last Monday's outing against Oakland, Kelly did something he had never done before -- got ejected.
Kelly got tossed shortly after being lifted in the eighth inning following an ejection of Arizona manager Torey Lovullo. Both were arguing about a check swing that was called a strike.
"It was my first ejection ever," Kelly said. "I don't think I've ever gotten thrown out of a game in my whole life. But I just felt like that was a terrible call. I thought it was a very, very obvious swing. I've seen the video of it and, in my mind, it was a very obvious swing."
The heat of that moment most likely isn't what will linger. Instead, it will be Kelly's performance. In seven-plus innings, he gave up two runs (one earned) and four hits, with nine strikeouts and one walk.
"(Monday) was probably the most in control of my delivery, rhythm, everything that I've felt all year," Kelly said.
Kelly is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates.
Contreras has lost three straight starts, giving up at least one homer in each.
Most recently, Contreras gave up two runs, both on homers, in seven innings and got no offensive support in Pittsburgh's 2-0 loss to Baltimore on May 13.
"I think (May 13) was probably the best stuff Ro's had all year long," Shelton said of Contreras' tough-luck loss. "He gives up two solo homers ... but other than that, I thought he was outstanding. He was pretty much in control other than that. Not a lot of contact, he got fly balls and he did a really nice job."
Contreras has faced Arizona once in his career and did not earn a decision after giving up one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings on June 4, 2022.
--Field Level Media
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Recap MAY 21TH 2023
Corbin Carroll homered and Christian Walker drove in three runs Sunday to help the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks down the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-3 to take two of three in their weekend series.
Pavin Smith and Ketel Marte each added an RBI single for the Diamondbacks, who have won seven of nine.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (5-3) allowed three runs (two earned) and three hits in five innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.
Tucupita Marcano hit a two-run double for the Pirates.
Pittsburgh starter Roansy Contreras gave up three runs and three hits in five innings, with three walks and three strikeouts.
Dauri Moreta (1-1) gave up a run in one-third of an inning and took the loss.
With two outs in the first, Carroll homered to right for a 1-0 Diamondbacks lead. It was his seventh home run on the season.
Pittsburgh tied it in the second without a hit. Connor Joe walked with two outs and went to second on Kelly's errant pickoff attempt. Joe later scored on a wild pitch.
In the third, Jose Herrera doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on another Contreras wild pitch to make it 2-1.
In the fifth, Geraldo Perdomo walked and was bunted to second by Herrera. Smith drove in Perdomo with a base hit for a 3-1 Diamondbacks ead.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Joe singled to deep short for Pittsburgh's first hit. He went to third on Rodolfo Castro's single, and both scored on Marcano's double to tie the score at 3.
Two throwing errors helped Arizona move back in front 4-3 in the sixth. With one out, Walker landed at second on Ke'Bryan Hayes' error at third. Walker scored on Lourdes Guerriel Jr.'s infield single coupled with reliever Moreta's throwing error.
In the seventh, Perdomo singled, went to second on Rob Zastryzny's wild pitch and was bunted to third by Herrera. An out later, Robert Stephenson relieved Zastryzny and gave up an RBI single to Marte, a walk to Carroll and a two-run double to Walker to push it to 7-3.
Walker added an RBI single in the ninth.
--Field Level Media