First Inning: A Slow Start
We had a rough start in the first inning as Masyn Winn, Alec Burleson, and Willson Contreras couldn't make it onto the bases. Nolan Arenado grounded into a fielder's choice, and Contreras got taken out at second. On the bright side, our pitching prevented the Pirates from scoring too.
Second Inning: Trouble Brewing
We saw a little life with Dylan Carlson's walk and Lars Nootbaar's single, but Carlson got caught stealing home.
The real trouble struck us in the bottom of the inning. Rowdy Tellez and Joshua Palacios started a scoring bonanza, putting the Pirates ahead 4-0. 
Midgame Struggles
In innings three and four, our bats stayed ice-cold. The Pirates added another run courtesy of a solo homer by Tellez in the fourth inning, making it 5-0. We brought in Roycroft to relieve Liberatore, but the damage had already been done.
Hopeful Moments in the Fifth and Sixth Innings
Despite some good at-bats, we couldn’t capitalize. Pages and Winn both singled, and we even loaded the bases at one point. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t bring our runners home. By the sixth inning, we were still scoreless as the Pirates maintained their 5-0 lead.Seventh and Eighth Innings: Knocking on the Door 
Nolan Arenado gave us some hope with a single in the 8th, but the Pirates' defense turned another double play to shut us down. We held the Pirates' offense at bay, with solid efforts from pitchers Gallegos and Roycroft.Ninth Inning: Final Effort 
In the ninth inning, we attempted one last rally. Nootbaar walked, but a double play once again extinguished our hopes. Winn managed a walk, but Burleson grounded out to second, sealing our fate. The final score stuck at 5-0 in favor of the Pirates. 
Conclusion
This was a tough loss for us, Cards fans. Our hitters couldn’t muster enough to topple the Pirates' pitching, and their timely hits got the best of us. But hey, there’s always the next game! Let’s keep our heads up and cheer on our boys! Go Cards!
Scoreboard for Cardinals @ Pirates (July 24th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |