The Pittsburgh Pirates currently hold a 16-15 record and sit in fifth place in the NL Central. The club lost to the Cardinals 5-4 on Wednesday night. This defeat extended their losing streak to a season-high four games.
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MLB Game Recap
The Pittsburgh Pirates fell just short. Cardinals rookie Nathan Church robbed Nick Gonzales of a potential walk-off, two-run home run in the ninth inning. Starter Bubba Chandler took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks over 5.0 innings while striking out six (85 pitches, 53 strikes). The bullpen saw debutant Chris Devenski and Evan Sisk each charged with a run in the seventh. However, Yohan Ramírez and Dennis Santana later provided scoreless relief. They kept the deficit at one.
Standout Performer
Pinch-hitter Nick Yorke provided a late-inning spark, finishing the night 1-for-2 with two RBI. He hit a clutch two-run single to center field in the bottom of the seventh inning. This hit trimmed the Cardinals’ lead to 5-3. It also ignited a rally. Yorke’s performance kept the Pirates within reach late. However, the team ultimately finished the night just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Key News & Notes
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made several roster moves. They selected the contract of Chris Devenski from Triple-A Indianapolis. They also optioned Hunter Barco. Additionally, the team designated Ryan Harbin for assignment. Nick Gonzales extended his career-best hitting streak to 10 games with an eighth-inning single. Catcher Joey Bart also recorded his first multi-hit game of the season, finishing 2-for-3. Manager Don Kelly was frustrated in the seventh inning. A questionable check-swing call led to a critical strikeout with the bases loaded.
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Farm Report
- Triple-A: Endy Rodríguez achieved a remarkable performance. He went 4-for-4 with three doubles and two runs. The Indianapolis Indians (11-18) defeated Memphis 9-0 in Game 2 of a doubleheader split. Rodríguez spearheaded a 12-hit attack as the Indians rebounded from a Game 1 shutout.
- Double-A: The Altoona Curve’s Wednesday contest against the Richmond Flying Squirrels was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader scheduled for Friday.
- High-A: Greensboro (13-10) secured a 4-2 road victory over Winston-Salem in 10 innings. Carmichael led with a 1-for-5 performance. He hit his third home run of the year. Greensboro used a two-run tenth inning to snap the tie.
- Single-A: RHP Jared Jones dominated in his first rehab start for Bradenton (10-13). He struck out five over three perfect innings. His fastball averaged 99.1 mph in a 5-1 win over Lakeland. Jones flashed major-league velocity in his highly anticipated return to the mound.
Looking Ahead
The Pirates look to avoid a four-game series sweep today at 12:35 p.m. ET with reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (4-1, 2.48 ERA) on the mound. He will face St. Louis Hunter Dobbins, who is slated to make his season debut.
Losing on a walk-off robbery is the ultimate “baseball being baseball” moment. However, seeing Jared Jones hit 99 mph in a rehab start is the silver lining this city needs. What do you think?
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