Rockies Look to Break Losing Streak Against Pirates with José Quintana on the Mound

The Colorado Rockies are seeking to halt a three-game losing streak as they face the Pittsburgh Pirates, who dominated in last night’s matchup. The Rockies struggled against Paul Skenes, who showcased his exceptional skills, leading to a no-hitter that left Colorado with just one baserunner due to a hit by pitch. It wasn’t until the seventh inning that Mickey Moniak broke through with a single, but the Rockies ultimately fell short.

With Skenes now out of the way, the Rockies are hopeful for a turnaround in the Steel City. Veteran left-hander José Quintana takes the mound for Colorado, having found his groove over the past month despite a rocky start to the season. In his last three outings, Quintana has consistently gone at least five innings, allowing two or fewer earned runs each time. While he may not rack up strikeouts, he has effectively minimized walks and kept opposing batters from scoring.

Quintana’s most recent appearance came against the New York Mets, where he surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and two walks over 5.2 innings, showcasing his ability to navigate tough lineups.

On the opposing side, the Pirates will send right-hander Mitch Keller to the mound. Keller has been impressive this season, with eight starts under his belt, six of which were Quality Starts. He has completed six innings in all but two of those outings, and has only allowed more than three earned runs once. Currently, Keller boasts a 2.87 ERA and has struck out 35 batters across 41 innings of work.

Keller has had a particularly strong track record against the Rockies, holding a remarkable 1.91 ERA in five career appearances against them, including four starts. His arsenal features a low-to-mid 90s four-seam fastball, complemented by a variety of breaking pitches such as a sweeper, sinker, traditional slider, curveball, changeup, and cutter. Notably, his curveball has been especially effective, with a 44.4% whiff rate and a 30.8% put-away rate.

As the Rockies look to reclaim some momentum, the first pitch is set for 4:40 PM MDT. Fans can catch the action on Rockies TV or listen on KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM, with a Spanish broadcast available on KNRV 1150.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.