The Start in Style: Top of the 1st Inning
What a thrilling start for us, Pirates fans!
Right from the get-go, Oneil Cruz wasted no time and reached on an infield single. And then, the magic began as Bryan Reynolds smashed a homer to right field, sending Cruz home, and putting us up 2-0 early! Fireworks at the top of the 1st had us all cheering. The rest of the inning didn't yield any more, but we sure started strong. 
Maintaining the Lead: By the 4th Inning
We held onto our 2-0 lead through shaky pitches and a barrage from the Cards. Kicking off the 4th, Joey Bart walked, starting what would be another solid inning for us. Enmanuel Valdez and Adam Frazier combined to snatch back our lead with Frazier's single to center bringing Bart home, a brief lead shift to 3-2 – it felt like we had momentum on our side.
The Cardinals Surge: Bottom of the 6th
Then came the bottom of the 6th, where things got wobbly. After a commendable hold, the Cards got feisty. Willson Contreras launched a two-run homer and Jose Barrero added a ground-rule double that scored two more. Suddenly, we were trailing 3-6. It was a heart-sinking moment, but the game's not done until the last out.
Rally Attempt and Final Push: 9th Inning Challenges
We hoped for a Pirates comeback into the 9th, especially with Adam Frazier starting us off by reaching base. Oneil Cruz got on base too with his single, closing the inning with some promise. Unfortunately, we couldn't push through as Bryan Reynolds struck out to end the game. It was a hard-fought battle, but alas, it wasn't our day, as the final score stood at 3-6.Chins up, fans! Our Buccos showed some fighting spirit today. Let's regroup and come back stronger next game!
Scoreboard for Pirates @ Cardinals (May 5th, 2025)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 |