The Pittsburgh Pirates’ season-long offensive drought continued Monday night, and their defensive miscues only made matters worse. A pair of costly errors proved pivotal as the Cincinnati Reds pulled away for a 7-1 win at PNC Park, handing the Pirates their fourth consecutive loss.
The defeat highlighted an all-too-familiar narrative for the Pirates — strong starting pitching undermined by inconsistent defense and a stagnant offense. Right-hander Mitch Keller delivered his seventh quality start of the season, but once again found himself without adequate run support.
Keller (1-6) battled through six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out five. He threw 59 of his 91 pitches for strikes. Despite his consistent efforts, the Pirates have managed just 12 runs total across his seven quality starts.
“Obviously, we know we are struggling,” Keller admitted. “We’ve just got to keep us in the game because you never know when we are going to pop.”
The Pirates’ lone run came early. After the Reds struck first in the top of the first inning — with Elly De La Cruz scoring from first on an Austin Hays double — Pittsburgh answered in the bottom half. Bryan Reynolds reached base on a two-out infield single and scored on a 400-foot double by Joey Bart.
But that would be the extent of the offense for the Pirates, who haven’t scored more than four runs in their last 24 games — a drought that has intensified the impact of every fielding error and baserunning blunder.
The game shifted in the sixth inning when defensive mistakes by the Pirates opened the door for the Reds to take control. Those miscues led to a go-ahead run for Cincinnati, and they never looked back.
Reds starter Nick Lodolo (4-4) was sharp, allowing just one run on four hits over six innings while striking out seven. He dominated a Pirates lineup that has struggled to find consistency at the plate, especially in key moments.
Pirates manager Don Kelly emphasized the need for a change in approach, noting that the team needs to play with more conviction.
“We need to play good baseball while going out there aggressively — not defensively trying not to make mistakes,” Kelly said. “That goes for the pitching, hitting, defense, and baserunning. Play the game the right way. Be aggressive when we get our pitches.”
The loss drops Pittsburgh to 15-33, anchoring them at the bottom of the NL Central as they open a critical seven-game homestand against division foes. With the Milwaukee Brewers up next, the Pirates will need to regroup quickly if they hope to reverse course.
For now, the formula remains frustratingly familiar: solid pitching, minimal offense, and defensive letdowns — a combination that has the Pirates stuck in a cycle they can’t seem to break.
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