Rough Start for the Reds 
This one started off rough, fam. Right from the top of the 1st inning, we saw a quick two-run homer from Bryan Reynolds, scoring Andrew McCutchen after he walked and stole second. It didn't help that Rowdy Tellez managed to steal a base too, eventually scoring on a single by Nick Gonzales. By the end of the 1st, we were already down 3-0 and struggling to catch up.Missed Opportunities 
We had our chances, but couldn't capitalize in the early innings. In the bottom of the 1st, Jonathan India walked and even stole a base, but he was left stranded. The same story repeated in the 2nd inning where Jake Fraley, Tyler Stephenson, and Santiago Espinal couldn't get on base. It wasn't until the 5th inning that we started to see some life.Reds Finally on the Board 
Finally, in the 5th inning, we started to show some fight! India walked again and later scored on a groundout by Jeimer Candelario, followed by Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer getting some clutch hits to bring in two more runs. Stephenson then tripled to bring Steer home! By the end of the inning, we had reduced the deficit to 8-3.Defensive Struggles Continue 
Unfortunately, we just couldn't stop the Pirates from extending their lead. In the top of the 5th, Tellez scored again on a sac fly and later on, Jared Triolo homered to bring in another two runs. By the middle of the 5th, it was already 8-0. Even as we rallied, it seemed like every time we scored, they had an immediate answer.Late Game Fight and a Glimmer of Hope 
In the bottom of the 6th, India continued to be a spark, doubling to left to later score on a misplayed ball by the Pirates' center fielder. Then De La Cruz kept the momentum going. However, we couldn't build on that momentum as Candelario and Steer failed to keep the rally alive. We did add another run in the 9th with India scoring on a double play, but it was too little too late.Final Thoughts 
We took a tough 9-5 loss today, but there were some positive takeaways. Jonathan India had an outstanding game with multiple times on base and several stolen bags. Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer also showed some promise. We need to tighten up our defense and capitalize on our opportunities. Let's shake off this one and come back stronger in the next game. Go Reds! 
Scoreboard for Pirates @ Reds (June 25th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 2 |