Pirates Narrowly Outmatched by Cardinals in a 2-1 Pitcher's Duel at PNC Park

In a closely contested matchup at PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates fell to the St. Louis Cardinals with a final score of 2-1. The game brought the Pirates' record to 51-50 and the Cardinals improved to 53-48. Despite out-hitting their opponents with seven hits to four, the Pirates could not capitalize on their opportunities, leaving several runners stranded on base.

The game was characterized by strong pitching performances from both sides. Paul Skenes, starting pitcher for the Pirates, delivered an impressive outing with an earned run average (ERA) of 2.16 over more than eight innings pitched, allowing only four hits and striking out eight batters while maintaining a whip of just 0.48. However, his effort was not enough as the team struggled offensively.

Jack Suwinski stood out for the Pirates with a perfect batting average of 1.000, securing two hits in his two at-bats and achieving an on-base plus slugging (OPS) rate of 2.5 - highlighting his significant contribution despite limited opportunities. Onil Cruz also made notable contributions with an OPS of 1.167 and batting .333.

The bullpen saw Carmen Mlodzinski take to the mound briefly but effectively; he posted an ERA of 0.0 after facing two batters and kept his WHIP at zero while showcasing potential with a strikeout rate per nine innings pitched (K9) standing at an impressive figure of 13.5.

Despite these individual performances and leading in total hits during this encounter, it was ultimately not enough for victory as crucial moments did not swing in favor of the home team.

Looking ahead, fans can catch more action when The Pittsburgh Pirates host The St Louis Cardinals once again at PNC Park on July 24th at12:35 PM EDT for another exciting matchup between these division rivals as part of their ongoing series this season - all set against one another under bright daylight conditions conducive for baseball's finest displays.