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After tying a career high by allowing eight runs in his latest start, Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller will try and bounce back when the Pirates host the National League Central champion Milwaukee Brewers in their final home game of the season on Thursday.

Keller (11-11, 4.21 ERA) last picked up a win on Aug. 20 at Texas, when he tossed seven-plus scoreless innings. Since that time, he has been credited with the loss in four of his five starts, including an 8-3 setback at Cincinnati on Friday. He compiled a 6.93 ERA in that span.

The 28-year-old lasted just 3 1/3 innings against the Reds. He allowed eight runs on seven hits, including home runs by Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India. He also walked a season-high five batters while striking out a season-low one.

“Just not in the zone,” Keller said. “Just throwing balls and falling behind in the count. They were ready to hit. They were pretty aggressive, too.”

Keller’s four-seam fastball averaged lacked its usual velocity, but he put more blame for his problems on poor pitch location and execution.

Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton, however, said the grind of making 30 starts could be catching up to the 2023 All-Star.

“At this point of the season, that can definitely be a factor,” Shelton said.

Keller is just 1-4 with a 5.44 ERA in eight career starts against the Brewers, but the win came earlier this season. On May 13 in Milwaukee, he tossed six shutout innings while striking out seven in a 8-6 victory. Keller also got a no-decision vs. the Brewers on April 25 after throwing five innings of four-run ball.

Milwaukee (90-68) will counter with right-hander Aaron Civale (7-9, 4.53), who comes in off a 5-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Civale is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in five career starts against Pittsburgh (74-84), including an 0-1 record with a 1.59 ERA in two starts this year.

Civale has pitched well in PNC Park, compiling a 1-0 record and 1.86 ERA in three career starts.

The Thursday contest will decide the three-game series. Milwaukee won the opener 7-2 on Tuesday. The Pirates, behind a strong pitching performance from Luis L. Ortiz, edged the Brewers 2-1 on Wednesday.

Ortiz, who spent much of the season in the bullpen, improved to 7-6 by allowing one run, a long second-inning homer by Jake Bauers, on four hits over seven innings. He walked one and struck out five while lowering his ERA to 3.32.

“It’s the culmination of a really good year where he got better,” Shelton said. “We challenge people to get better. We challenge ourselves to get better, and he did that throughout the year, and he’s really put himself in a good spot.”

Despite picking up the loss, Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta had a milestone night.

Peralta (11-9), who gave up two runs on two hits over 5 1/3 innings, struck out seven. His final whiff, against Bryan Reynolds to open the sixth inning, lifted him to the 200-strikeout mark for the second straight season. Peralta, who will be Milwaukee’s starter in Game 1 of the National League playoffs next week, was then pulled after throwing 96 pitches, 60 for strikes.

“It’s great honor for him,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said of Peralta joining Teddy Higuera, Corbin Burnes and Yovani Gallardo as Brewers pitchers with multiple seasons of 200-plus strikeouts. “It’s a great milestone for any starting pitcher.”

With the loss and the Philadelphia Phillies’ win over the Chicago Cubs, the Brewers are now assured of being the No. 3 seed in the NL playoffs.

–Field Level Media