Tense Game Ends in Heartbreak for the Bucs 
What a bummer, Pirates fans. The Pittsburgh Pirates faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals, and it was a nail-biting finish that didn't go our way. Despite a valiant effort, the Buccos fell short with a final score of 2-1 in favor of the Cards.Pitching Duel to Begin the Game 
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The game started as a true pitcher's duel. Our boys kept the Cardinals scoreless through the first four innings and we had some solid defense going. Hats off to our pitching staff for keeping it tight early on. However, our bats couldn't quite warm up either, and we ended up leaving some runners stranded on base.Arenado Breaks the Deadlock
In the top of the 5th inning, Nolan Arenado hit a solo homer to left center, putting the Cards up 1-0. It was a tough blow, but our pitching settled right back in, striking out the next three hitters.Missed Opportunities 
We had some chances. In the bottom of the 2nd, we had bases loaded with two outs, but Andrew McCutchen flied out to center to end the threat. The 5th inning gave us hope with Jack Suwinski's leadoff double. But again, we couldn’t capitalize as Yasmani Grandal grounded out into a double play, stalling our momentum.Cruz Sparks Some Hope!
Finally, in the bottom of the 8th, Oneil Cruz doubled to shortstop and scored on Nick Gonzales' single to left, tying the game at 1-1. The crowd at PNC Park erupted! Sadly, Ke'Bryan Hayes grounded into a double play right after, ending our rally.Cardinals Take the Lead Again 
In the top of the 9th, Michael Siani doubled to left and was brought home by Alec Burleson’s single, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. It was a dagger right through our hearts.Final Attempts
We had one last chance in the bottom of the 9th, but it was not to be. Joshua Palacios, Jared Triolo, and Connor Joe all struck out swinging against Ryan Helsley, who closed the game for the Cards.A Tough Loss, But We’ll Bounce Back! 
This one stings, Pirates fans, but there were some encouraging signs, especially from our pitching staff and Oneil Cruz. We'll lick our wounds and come back stronger in the next game. Keep the faith, Bucs Nation!Let's go, Bucs!
Scoreboard for Cardinals @ Pirates (July 23rd, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 |