Ryne Nelson Makes Statement with Dominant Start vs Pirates

The right-hander did everything he could to make decisions difficult for the Diamondbacks

May 26, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson (19) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks snapped their five-game losing streak, shutting out the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 on Memorial Day evening at Chase Field. Ryne Nelson was spectacular, throwing 6.2 scoreless innings. Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor homered and the D-backs rapped out 10 hits.

Nelson dominated a free-swinging Pirates lineup, inducing both swing-and-miss and plenty of early contact. Prior to the game Torey Lovullo said that Nelson was on a 65-70 pitch count limit, as dictated by the medical staff. That ended up being stretched out to 84 pitches, 59 of which were strikes. Nelson threw 6.2 scoreless innings before giving way to reliever Kendall Graveman.

"We were very careful with what we were doing with Nelly," manager Torey Lovullo told reporters postgame. "He's throwing the ball extremely well, and we want to keep him healthy for the rest of the year."

"I know how he comes in the next day after we push him too hard. I know the challenges of what those starting pitchers go through when you ask them to do too much, so I want to protect the guys, that's really what I've got to do. ... Nelly's a very important piece of this team, he will continue to be, no matter where he is, no matter where he's throwing, and I've got to protect that." Lovullo said.

Knowing he needed to be efficient, Nelson did what he usually does, which is pump strikes and get ahead. He threw 18 of 24 first-pitch strikes, struck out four, and didn't walk a batter. He only gave up four hits, and only six of the 20 balls put in play were considered hard-hit (above 95 MPH).

There was no mystery about how Nelson did it either, as 63% of the pitches he threw were fastballs. He simply had his best command of the pitch, and the Pirates could do nothing with him. Nelson's ERA is now down to 3.79 and his FIP is an even better 3.27. His record improves to 2-1.

Prior to the game Lovullo spoke about Eduardo Rodríguez's imminent return from the injured list and the tough decision that lies ahead with regard to Nelson's spot in the rotation. Lovullo said matter-of-factly that Rodríguez would not be sent to the bullpen upon his return, he's a starter. But Nelson's performance may cause the team to rethink that decision.

Related Content: Ryne Nelson's Time in Diamondbacks Rotation Could be Short

Justin Martinez inherited a bases-loaded, nobody out jam in the eighth inning from Scott McGough. Suárez made an error to start the inning, and McGough walked the next two. But Martinez got a strikeout, popout and groundout to restore order. Ryan Thompson pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the shutout.

"For me, that was the save," Lovullo said of Martinez's outing. "That was definitely the save, the most impactful, and he came in with the bases loaded and did a great job. I think he's trusting exactly what his body's telling him, and he's going out there and executing."

Suárez's homer was a 433-foot blast to left-center field, his 15th of the year. Naylor tomahawked a fastball well above the zone, driving the ball over the fence in right field for his sixth homer. Ketel Marte had two hits, including a two-out RBI base hit in the second inning. He extended his hitting streak to nine games. It was a rough night for Pirates starter Andrew Heaney, who gave up all five runs in five innings on eight hits.

Heaney, meeny, miny, moe. pic.twitter.com/kFAq1dj2Rf

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 27, 2025

"It's hard to do what we did for the past five games, lose the games that we talked about in this room. Five games by [a] total of six runs. But they blocked all that out, and they flushed it, and they went out and played nine great innings," Lovullo said.

With the victory, the Diamondbacks climb back to .500, at 27-27. The Pirates fall to 19-36. Game two of the series is Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. MST. Corbin Burnes will pitch for Arizona while rookie Mike Burrows gets the ball for Pittsburgh.