A Tough Loss in the 9th
Fellow Pirates fans, this one stings. We held a lead heading into the 9th inning, but ultimately fell to the Nationals 8-6. Here's how it all went down.Early Offensive Surge
We got off to a great start in the 1st inning. Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked, and Oneil Cruz doubled to right, putting runners in scoring position. Then Jared Triolo came through with a clutch single, scoring both Kiner-Falefa and Cruz. We took an early 2-0 lead!
The momentum continued in the 2nd inning. Yasmani Grandal doubled, and after a strikeout, Alika Williams doubled to bring Grandal home, making it 3-0.
Holding the Line
In the top of the 3rd, the Nationals managed to get a run in, but we kept most of their bats silent. Our defense was solid, and pitcher Keller was doing his thing.We added to our lead in the 4th inning when Kiner-Falefa doubled, followed by a single from Bryan Reynolds. A sacrifice fly from Cruz brought Kiner-Falefa home to make it 4-2.
Our pitching remained sharp through the 5th and 6th innings, holding the Nationals to just two runs.
Late Inning Drama
The 7th inning saw a big hit from the Nationals—they tied the game 4-4 with a two-run homer by Chaparro. Nonetheless, we kept our composure and managed to score two runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. Thanks to some crafty baserunning and a double from Cruz, we regained the lead 6-4!
Heartbreaking 9th Inning
This is where it fell apart. Chapman relieved Santana, but the Nationals caught fire. They rallied to score four runs, shifting the score to 8-6. Despite a valiant effort by Holderman to stop the bleeding, the damage was done.In our half of the 9th, we couldn't muster a comeback. Triolo struck out, Rowdy Tellez grounded out, and Bryan De La Cruz struck out swinging. The game ended with a final score of 8-6.
Final Thoughts
Tough loss, Pirates fans. We saw some great at-bats, solid pitching for most of the game, and good hustle. It's a tough pill to swallow, but let's keep our heads up and look forward to the next game. Let's keep supporting our Buccos!
Let's go Bucs!
Scoreboard for Nationals @ Pirates (September 7th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 1 |