Tough Loss in San Diego 
Another nail-biter for our beloved Buccos, but unfortunately, it didn't go our way. Let's break down today’s tough 2-1 loss to the Padres.
Pitchers' Duel to Start 
The game began as a classic pitchers' duel. Despite a patient at-bat from Oneil Cruz, who walked in the first inning, we couldn’t capitalize on it. Our defense also held strong, leaving the Padres with no runs through the first three innings. Both teams struggled to get on the board, trading zeros like it was going out of style.
Mid-Inning Struggles 
Rowdy Tellez showed some muscle with a doubled to right in the 4th, but couldn’t get any support to bring him home. The Padres weren’t faring much better, with some solid fielding moves by our infield guys like Ke'Bryan Hayes and Isiah Kiner-Falefa keeping them off the scoreboard.
Seventh Inning Letdown 
The 7th inning proved to be a turning point. Jurickson Profar led off with a double and eventually scored, putting the Padres ahead 1-0. Our boys responded bravely, especially Oneil Cruz who doubled in the 8th, but we just couldn't bring anyone home.
Late Inning Drama 
The Padres added another run in the 8th, making it 2-0. Despite this, our Pirates showed some fight in the 9th. Bryan De La Cruz singled and a clutch piece of hitting from Andrew McCutchen brought him home, making it 2-1. Pinch runner Ji Hwan Bae brought some hope with his fresh legs, but Bryan Reynolds unfortunately lined out to center to end the game.
Final Thoughts 
A tough 2-1 loss, but we saw some real grit out there. Oneil Cruz impressed with his clutch hitting and aggressive base running, while Andrew McCutchen kept his cool under pressure, driving in our only run. Keep your heads up, Pirates fans; we'll get them next time!
Let’s go Bucs!
Scoreboard for Pirates @ Padres (August 13th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 |