Rough Start and Quiet Bats
The game against the Nationals was a rollercoaster for us Pirates fans. It began with a silent 1st inning despite a promising walk by Joey Bart. Our defense held strong in the top of the inning but couldn't capitalize offensively.The Nationals Break Through
By the 2nd inning, the Nationals took the lead with a solo homer from their right fielder. Our bats remained quiet, with Oneil Cruz and Nick Gonzales both grounded out, and Bryan De La Cruz striking out swinging.Missed Opportunities
The 4th inning was particularly tough; we let another run slip through due to a passed ball. Our offense couldn't muster much in response, going down in order without putting any pressure on their pitcher.Nationals Extend Their Lead
In the 6th inning, the Nationals piled on two more runs, making it 4-0. Luis Ortiz was replaced by Beeks, but the damage was done. Our bats still couldn't find their rhythm, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Bryan Reynolds, and Bart all failing to get on base.A Glimmer of Hope
Finally, in the bottom of the 7th inning, Tellez gave us hope with a massive 443-foot homer, driving in Nick Gonzales. This brought the score to 4-2, giving us a fighting chance.
Late Game Tension
The top of the 9th inning saw the Nationals extend their lead again, making it 5-2. But we weren’t done yet! In the bottom of the 9th, Bart singled, Cruz followed suit, and Gonzales drove in Bart, narrowing the gap to 5-3. With bases loaded, the tension was high, but De La Cruz grounded into a double play, ending our rally.Final Thoughts
It was a tough day for Pirates fans. The Nationals took advantage of our mistakes and our bats were too quiet until it was too late. The late homers and rallies gave us hope, but we couldn’t claw all the way back. Next game, let's come out swinging!
Scoreboard for Nationals @ Pirates (September 7th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 0 |