Keller pitches 8 innings for 10th win to lead Pirates over Mets 8-2, split of 4-game series

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mitch Keller pitched eight innings for his 10th win of the season and Joshua Palacios’ home run capped a five-run sixth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Mets 8-2 on Monday.

Keller (10-5) allowed two runs and seven hits in a 107-pitch outing while striking out six and walking none. He is the first Pirates pitcher to have double-digit victories before the All-Star break since Gerrit Cole in 2015 and Pittsburgh earned a split of the four-game series.

The performance came a day after Keller did not get selected to the All-Star Game. That decision rankled Pirates manager Derek Shelton.

“That was an All-Star performance,” Shelton said. “He’s 10 wins before the break with another start to go. He made one bad pitch in eight innings and it was hot and he had to sit through two long innings. If that’s not an All-Star, I’m hard-pressed to see what is.”

It was the 49th consecutive start that Keller pitched at least five innings, the longest current run in the major leagues.

“I thought we had a really good game plan going in, (catcher) Joey (Bart) and I,” Keller said. “Just tried to attack the zone and fill it up as much as possible, be on the aggression. Good things will happen if you do that.”

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

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

Pitching on four days' rest for the first time in the major leagues, Scott was on a limit of 75 pitches.

Eric Orze relieved, making his major-league debut, and failed 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 put the Pirates ahead 3-2.

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 homered to make it 7-2.

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

It was Palacios’ first home run of the season after being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis last week. He drove in another run with a grounder in the eighth.

“Watching that at-bat by Cruz, watching the at-bat by Rowdy and watching Nick get that through, that got me excited,” Palacios said. “I was ready to go. And then I got something good to hit and I was able to unleash on it.”

Cruz’s homer was a 431-foot shot to the bullpens in center field in the fourth inning off Scott and opened the scoring. That was the only hit allowed by Scott.

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

Scott was outstanding but is still seeking his first win after six career starts. He had three strikeouts and one walk.

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

New York went 4-4 on its eight-game road trip and fell back below .500 at 44-45. The Pirates finished 3-4 on their homestand.

“Definitely some games that got away from us, but honestly that’s the story of the year so far,” Nimmo said. “We haven’t been able to lock down wins. And that’s a problem. We’re hoping to address it.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Right fielder Starling Marte (bone bruise in right knee) is scheduled for a checkup later this week and could be cleared to begin baseball activities. … Sean Reid-Foley (right shoulder impingement) threw from 90 feet on Monday.

Pirates: Cruz was removed for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning because of hamstring tightness.

UP NEXT

Mets: Begin a three-game series on Tuesday night against the visiting Washington Nationals with left-hander Jose Quintana (3-5, 4.22) facing right-hander Jake Irvin (7-6, 2.80).

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

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) is greeted by third base coach Mike Sarbaugh as he rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) celebrates with Harrison Bader (44) after both scored on Nimmo's two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott , bottom, during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz hits a two-run home run off New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Rowdy Tellez, center, celebrates after driving in a run with a single off New York Mets relief pitcher Eric Orze during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Cellphone records show that the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump was near the golf course for about 12 hours before being confronted by a Secret Service agent, according to court documents unsealed Monday.

Officials said in the documents that Ryan Routh’s cellphone was shown near tree line at Trump’s golf course from 1:59 a.m. until 1:31 p.m. on Sunday. A Secret Service agent shot at Routh after seeing his rifle through the tree line. Routh fled in an SUV being being arrested by local law enforcement in a neighboring county.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump was charged Monday with federal gun crimes, making his first court appearance in the final weeks of a White House race already touched by violence.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and Justice Department prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury.

Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach, where he answered perfunctory questions about his work status and income. Shackled and wearing a blue jumpsuit, he smiled as he spoke with a public defender and reviewed documents ahead of the initial appearance. The lawyer declined to comment after the hearing ended.

Routh was arrested Sunday afternoon after authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing. Prosecutors asked that he remain locked up as a flight risk. A federal magistrate set additional hearings for later this month.

The authorities did not immediately reveal any new details about Routh or allege a particular motive. But he left an online footprint that reveals shifting political views and intense outrage about world events.

“You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published 2023 book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” which described the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the “tremendous blunder” of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.

Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the “child that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.”

He also tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv.

Court records obtained by The Associated Press show Routh was convicted of multiple felony offenses, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina.

Speaking in a soft voice in court, he said that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings.

Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii. He also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.

Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing golf noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away.

An agent fired and Routh dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, an aiming scope and a GoPro camera, authorities said. Routh was later stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.

It was the second apparent assassination attempt targeting Trump in as many months.

On July 13, a bullet grazed Trump's ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Eight days later, Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, giving way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the party’s nominee.

Tucker, Durkin Richer and Long reported from Washington.

Officers with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office work outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A vehicle with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office is parked outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Law enforcement officials work outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)