A Nail-Biter Ends on a High Note! 
Hey, Bucs fans! What an incredible game we had at PNC Park as the Pirates pulled off a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Cardinals. Our boys showed resilience, tenacity, and gave us a night to remember.Early Defensive Showcase 
The game started out as a pitcher's duel with both teams struggling to get on the board. Andrew McCutchen gave it his all but lined out to third in the first inning. Bryan Reynolds grounded out shortly after, but wait... Oneil Cruz brought some excitement by drawing a walk and stealing second. Though we had a runner in scoring position, Nick Gonzales couldn't capitalize, grounding out to end the inning. No worries, the cards were still stacked in our favor!McCutchen and Cruz Spark Offense 
In the third inning, McCutchen doubled to left, bringing a cheer from the crowd. A heroic single by Cruz drove him in, giving us a 1-0 lead. Cruz then stole second, but Gonzales grounded out again to end the inning.Cardinals Even It Out 
The Cardinals weren't going down without a fight. In the 5th inning, Nolan Gorman hit a homer to tie things up at 1-1. They even threatened with runners on base, but good old Pirates' defense held strong.Clutch Moments in the 8th 
The 8th inning was where the magic happened. Reynolds led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The stage was set for Nick Gonzales, who came through with a single to right, bringing Reynolds home and giving us a sweet 2-1 lead. Rowdy Tellez followed with a single, but our rally ended with a double play.Closing It Out 
David Bednar came in to close the game in the 9th, showing nerves of steel. Though Paul Goldschmidt singled to center, Bednar struck out Gorman to seal the deal. Talk about a high-stress environment!We’re back in the win column, folks! Great team effort and a well-deserved victory. Looking forward to more of this grit and grind from our Pirates. Let’s go Bucs!
Scoreboard for Cardinals @ Pirates (July 22nd, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |