North Shore Nine

Another night, another frustratingly familiar script for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite a solo home run from Andrew McCutchen — a swing that momentarily reminded fans of better days — the Bucs couldn’t muster anything else offensively, falling 2–1 to the Chicago Cubs.

On the latest NS9 Postgame Show, DiNardo and Doug dug into the loss with a mix of sarcasm and resignation. The bats looked lifeless once again, and as Doug put it, “They’re standing up there with toothpicks just wailing away.” It’s a harsh but honest take on an offense that has been stuck in quicksand for weeks.

This wasn’t a one-off performance. As the guys joked, watching the Pirates right now is like seeing the same bad movie over and over again — only the critics are Pirates fans, and they know this version’s not getting better.

There were a few glimmers: Andrew McCuthen’s home run, Michael Burrows having another impressive start, and a bullpen that didn’t implode. But that’s not enough when the offense is this stagnant.

The postgame vibe? Familiar. Disappointed. A little numb. And yet, here we are — still watching, still talking, still hoping something changes.

Catch the full episode of the NS9 Postgame Show to hear the full breakdown, some pointed takes, and a few laughs to get through it all.