Keller throws 8 innings for 10th win, leads Pirates to 8-2 victory over Mets in 4-game series

The performance came a day after Keller was not selected for the All-Star Game, a decision that irked Pirates manager Derek Shelton.

“That was an All-Star performance,” Shelton said. “He’s got 10 wins before the break and he’s yet to make a start. He threw one bad pitch in eight innings and it was hot and he had to sit out two long innings. If that’s not an All-Star, I don’t know what is.”

It was the 49th consecutive start that Keller pitched at least five innings, the longest streak in the Major Leagues to date.

“I thought we had a really good game plan, (catcher) Joey (Bart) and I,” Keller said. “I just tried to attack the zone and fill it as much as I could, be aggressive. Good things happen when you do that.”

Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz and New York’s Brandon Nimmo each hit a two-run home run.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza pulled rookie starter Christian Scott after 77 pitches with two outs and no runners on base in the sixth inning with the score tied 2-2.

Scott pitched on four days’ rest for the first time in the Major Leagues and threw a limit of 75 pitches.

Eric Orze came on in relief, making his major league debut and failing to retire any of the three batters he faced. Orze (0-1) walked Bryan Reynolds, then Cruz singled and Rowdy Tellez hit an RBI single to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead.

Nick Gonzales greeted Adrian Houser with a run-scoring double. The Pirates added two more runs on a fielding error by right fielder Jeff McNeil and a wild pitch before Palacios hit a home run to make it 7-2.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Orze said. “Of course, it didn’t go the way I wanted, but I felt confident and good.”

It was Palacios’ first home run of the season after being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis last week. He grounded in another run in the eighth.

“When I saw Cruz’s at-bat, saw Rowdy’s at-bat, saw Nick follow through, I got excited,” Palacios said. “I was ready. And then I got something good to hit and I was able to let it go.”

Cruz’s home run, a 431-foot shot to the bullpen in center field in the fourth inning off Scott, opened the scoring. It was the only hit Scott allowed.

The Mets tied it at 2-all on Nimmo’s blast in the sixth off Keller. It was the first time Nimmo had put a 3-0 pitch into play during his nine seasons in the majors, spanning 3,421 plate appearances.

Scott was excellent, but is still looking for his first win in six career starts. He struck out three and walked one.

Nimmo, Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos had two hits for the Mets. The Pirates got two hits from each of Cruz and Gonzales.

New York went 4-4 on their eight-game road trip, falling below .500 at 44-45. The Pirates finished 3-4 at home.

“There are definitely a couple of games that have gotten away from us, but honestly, that’s the story of the year so far,” Nimmo said. “We haven’t been able to get wins. And that’s a problem. We’re hoping to address that.”

Mets: Right fielder Starling Marte (right knee contusion) is scheduled to be re-examined later this week and may return to baseball activities. … Sean Reid-Foley (right shoulder impingement) threw from 90 feet on Monday.

Pirates: Cruz was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning due to a hamstring injury.

Mets: A three-game series against the visiting Washington Nationals begins Tuesday night, with left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana (3-5, 4.22) taking on right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin (7-6, 2.80).

Pirates: Have not yet named a starter for Tuesday night’s game against the Brewers in Milwaukee, which begins a three-game series. Right-hander Colin Rea (8-2, 3.34) will pitch for the Brewers.

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