Pirates Lose Series to Cardinals 3-1

The Pittsburgh Pirates faced continued offensive struggles, losing 10-5 to the St. Louis Cardinals, with Billy Cook hitting his first career home run. Despite a strong start from pitcher Bailey Falter, who allowed only two runs in 5.2 innings, the Pirates' bats went silent again in a subsequent 3-1 loss, where they failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Manager Derek Shelton noted the team's inability to finish games, as they fell to the Cardinals for the seventh time in 11 meetings this season. Nick Yorke made his mark with three hits in his second game, but the Pirates went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position throughout the matchups. The team has now lost at least 80 games for the fourth consecutive year, marking a disappointing trend since their last winning season in 2018. With their season nearing its end, injuries to key players like Oneil Cruz add to the team's challenges.