North Shore Nine

Paul Skenes Day didn’t go as planned, as the Pirates dropped a 5–3 game to the Cardinals in chilly Pittsburgh conditions. While Bryan Reynolds launched his second homer of the season and the Bucs made things interesting with two ninth-inning runs, the offense was mostly lifeless—six hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts.

Skenes was mostly fastball-heavy in what may have been his coldest professional start, and the Cardinals capitalized on both defensive miscues and a few missed pitches. Isiah Kiner-Falefa committed his third error in 12 games, reigniting concerns about his ability to handle shortstop.

Offensively, Jack Suwinski continues to struggle as the leadoff man, and Adam Frazier’s steady glove can’t mask his bat’s decline. The bullpen, however, showed up—Chase Shugart and Tim Mayza each delivered clean outings to keep the game within reach.

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