Heartbreak in Pittsburgh 
Tough loss for our Rays today as we fell to the Pirates 3-4. The game started with promise, but we just couldn't hold onto our lead. Let's recap the action inning by inning.A Strong Start
Top of the 1st inning:- Yandy DÃaz grounded out for the first out.
- Brandon Lowe got hit by a pitch and advanced to second.
- Randy Arozarena walked, and the runners advanced on a wild pitch.
- Josh Lowe grounded out, bringing B. Lowe home and giving us the first run (Rays 1-0).
- Amed Rosario was also hit by a pitch, but Jose Siri fouled out to third to end the inning.
Pirates Strike Back
Bottom of the 1st inning:- Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds were quickly taken care of, but Oneil Cruz hit a crucial home run to even things up at 1-1.
Bottom of the 3rd inning:
- McCutchen tripled and was brought home by Reynolds (Pirates 2-1).
- Cruz walked and Rowdy Tellez singled, scoring Reynolds (Pirates 3-1).
- Nick Gonzales grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Cruz (Pirates 4-1).
Fighting Back
Top of the 4th inning:- Richie Palacios singled and stole second.
- Ben Rortvedt singled to bring Palacios home (Pirates 4-2).
Our offense then went quiet until the 9th inning.
Final Push Falls Short
Top of the 9th inning:- Jonny DeLuca walked.
- Taylor Walls struck out, but DÃaz doubled, scoring Jose Caballero (Pirates 4-3).
- Isaac Paredes grounded out to end our hopes.
Summary
Despite our initial lead, the Pirates came back strong during the 3rd inning and held onto their advantage. Our offense showed signs of life but just couldn’t muster enough in clutch moments. Here's hoping for a stronger showing next game! Keep the faith, Rays fans!
Scoreboard for Rays @ Pirates (June 22nd, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 |