A Strong Start
The game started off promisingly for our Pittsburgh Pirates as we managed to score early with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan De La Cruz teaming up to get us on the board in the first inning. Kiner-Falefa doubled to left field and later scored on a single by De La Cruz. Our boys came out swinging and put pressure on the Diamondbacks right from the get-go.
Second Inning Fireworks
The second inning was even better! Ji Hwan Bae walked, and Yasmani Grandal doubled to right field, scoring another run. Then, Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a triple that brought home two more runs, putting us comfortably ahead at 4-0. It was exciting to see the offense clicking and our hitters delivering in key situations.
Pitching Holding Strong
Our pitchers did great through the third and fourth innings, keeping the Diamondbacks off the board. Colin Holderman and Chris Stratton contributed to four solid innings, and we entered the fifth inning with a 4-0 lead. Things were looking pretty smooth from the mound.
Momentum Shift in the Sixth
In the sixth inning, things took a turn when Corbin Carroll tripled and later scored on a groundout by Ketel Marte. Our lead was cut to 4-1. Despite a brief rally that saw Joc Pederson and Josh Bell reach base, the inning ended with the Diamondbacks adding just one more run, making it 4-2.Heartbreak in the Seventh
The seventh inning was tough to watch. Colin Holderman allowed a walk and a sacrifice bunt, followed by another walk. With two men on, Joc Pederson hit a three-run homer to left center, suddenly turning our 4-2 lead into a 5-4 deficit. It was a gut punch, for sure.
Missed Opportunities
We had some chances to come back in the later innings, but we couldn’t capitalize. Bryan Reynolds doubled in the seventh, and Ji Hwan Bae hit a double in the sixth, but both innings ended without adding any runs. You could feel the tension as we just couldn’t bring those runners home.
Nail-Biting Ninth Inning
The Diamondbacks added another run in the ninth with a solo homer from Ketel Marte, extending their lead to 6-4. But our Pirates didn’t go down without a fight. Andrew McCutchen walked, and Grandal singled to move McCutchen to second. Michael A. Taylor ran for Grandal, and Bryan Reynolds delivered a clutch single to score McCutchen and make it 6-5. Unfortunately, Oneil Cruz struck out, and Bryan De La Cruz flied out to right, ending our rally just short. So close!
Conclusion
Despite the loss, there were some standout performances from Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan Reynolds that give us hope for the next game. We were just one big hit away from turning the tide in this one. Let's keep our heads up, Pirates fans, and look forward to the next game!
Scoreboard for Diamondbacks @ Pirates (August 4th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 0 |