Heartbreak in the 10th: Cardinals Fall to Pirates 5-4 
Fellow Cardinals fans, sometimes baseball can be an emotional rollercoaster, and today’s game against the Pirates was one of those gut-wrenching rides. Despite a valiant effort, our beloved Cards fell 5-4 in extra innings.Early Inning Struggles
The game got off to a slow start with both teams struggling to mount any offense. Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson tried to get things going, but were left stranded on base. Meanwhile, Miles Mikolas held the Pirates at bay, allowing no runs through the first four innings.Cardinals Get on the Board
In the 5th inning, Brandon Crawford led off with a double to right. Masyn Winn then singled to center, scoring Crawford and giving us the crucial first run!
Pirates Answer Back
The Pirates came fighting back in the bottom of the 5th. A single by Rowdy Tellez followed by another by Nick Gonzales set the stage, and their sacrifices paid off, bringing them to a 2-1 lead.Contreras with the Equalizer! 
The 8th inning brought some excitement as Willson Contreras hit a towering two-run homer, scoring Burleson and tying the game 3-3! Oh, the joy of seeing that ball clear the fence! Late Inning Drama
We moved into the 9th inning still tied at 3-3, thanks to solid pitching from both sides. Nolan Gorman and Dylan Carlson couldn’t push any runs across, sending us into extra innings.Hope and Heartbreak in the 10th
In the top of the 10th, Masyn Winn ignited a spark with an infield single. Alec Burleson followed with a sacrifice fly, bringing Carlson home and giving us a 4-3 lead! But the bottom of the 10th was harsh; after Ke’Bryan Hayes scored, a single by Oneil Cruz brought the winning run for the Pirates.
Looking Ahead
It’s never easy to lose a tight game, but our Cardinals showed resilience and fight. We need to shake this off and come back stronger. On to the next game, Cards fans! Remember, it’s a long season!
Scoreboard for Cardinals @ Pirates (July 3rd, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 |