Pittsburgh Pirates' Joey Bart (14) celebrates his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Pirates bench coach Kristopher Negrón (41) and Pirates' Brandon Lowe (5)during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PHOENIX — Brandon Lowe had three hits, including his 10th homer, and Joey Bart also went deep to back Mitch Keller, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 Thursday.

Keller (4-1) went six-plus innings, retiring 10 straight between Corbin Carroll’s solo home run in the third and Ildemaro Vargas’ single leading off the seventh. That hit ended Keller’s day after 84 pitches. He gave up four hits and two runs, walked two and struck out four.

Ryan O’Hearn and Spencer Horwitz delivered two-out RBI singles in the fifth inning to put Pittsburgh ahead 3-2. The Pirates won two of three in the series.

Gregory Soto retired the side in order the ninth for his third save.

Arizona starter Zac Gallen (1-3) pitched six innings, allowing six hits and four runs, walking two and striking out five.

For the second straight game, Lowe homered in the first inning. This time, it was a 436-foot drive into the right-field seats. On Wednesday, Lowe’s homer against Michael Soroka was all NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes needed as Pittsburgh won 1-0.

The Diamondbacks also scored in the first against Keller, who was battling control issues early. Geraldo Perdomo walked, moved up on an infield out and scored on Adrian Del Castillo’s two-out single.

Bart hit his second homer, a line drive into the left-field stands, in the sixth.

Pirates center fielder Jake Mangum was a late scratch with left hamstring discomfort, the Pirates said. Billy Cook replaced him and was hitless in four at-bats.

Skenes shines

Paul Skenes threw eight brilliant innings in one of the best outings of the young star’s career, Brandon Lowe hit a solo homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0 on Wednesday night.

Skenes — the defending National League Cy Young award winner — retired the first 14 batters he faced until Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a soft dribbler down the third-base line for a single. The right-handed pitcher tried to make the play, but his throw was well wide of first base.

Nolan Arenado followed with a line drive single to left, but that was the final baserunner Skenes allowed. The 23-year-old struck out seven, including the final three batters he faced in the eighth.

He threw 97 pitches, including 65 strikes.

Gregory Soto worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to earn his second save.

Lowe’s homer to center field was a towering shot that traveled 435 feet and bounced off the batter’s eye. Bryan Reynolds earned his 1,000th career hit on a single in the third, finished the night with two hits and also had a stolen base.

D-backs right-hander Michael Soroka (4-2) gave up several hard-hit balls in the first — including Lowe’s homer — but had more success as the game progressed. He went 6 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and two walks while striking out six.

Skenes (5-2) has never thrown a nine-inning complete game in his big-league career. He threw 8• innings once in 2024 and threw an eight-inning complete game last season in a 1-0 loss against the Phillies.

Up next

Pirates: Continue their West Coast trip in San Francisco tonight. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2, 4.76 ERA) faces the Giants’ LHP Robbie Ray (2-4, 2.95).