Tough Night at PNC Park 
The Pirates had a rough outing against the Rays, falling 10-3 in a game where we just couldn't catch a break. The night started with some cautious optimism, but the Rays slowly pulled ahead, and we never seemed to find our rhythm.Early Inning Struggles
Both teams were scoreless in the 1st inning, though Andrew McCutchen started strong with a single to right. Unfortunately, the rest of the order couldn't capitalize, leaving him stranded. The 2nd inning saw the Rays take the lead with a sac fly, and though Luis Ortiz relieved Carmen Mlodzinski, we were unable to hold the Rays back. The 3rd inning saw a solo homer from Josh Lowe, pushing the Rays to a 2-0 lead.Fourth Inning Hopes 
The 4th inning brought a glimmer of hope! Rowdy Tellez and Nick Gonzales got on base via walks, followed by a crucial single from Ke'Bryan Hayes to score Tellez. Then, Jack Suwinski doubled, allowing Gonzales to score. We cut the deficit to 4-2! But our momentum was dashed by Andrew McCutchen grounding into a double play to end the inning.Rays Take Control 
The Rays didn’t let up. By the 6th inning, Josh Lowe again found himself rounding the bases after another homer, bringing in two more runs for a 7-2 lead. We struggled to respond offensively, and the Rays’ bullpen held us in check. Bryan Reynolds provided a bit of excitement with a solo homer in the 8th inning, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.Final Blow in the 9th Inning 
Heading into the last inning, we were down 7-3 and needed a miracle, but it was the Rays who delivered the final blow. Ben Rortvedt launched a three-run shot, sealing our fate with a 10-3 scoreline. Despite a valiant effort, our bats were silent in the bottom of the 9th, going down in order to end the game.Looking Ahead
It was a tough loss, but we’ll bounce back! The season is long, and there are plenty more games to showcase our true potential. Let's regroup and get ready for the next matchup. Go Bucs!Scoreboard for Rays @ Pirates (June 21st, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 0 |