North Shore Nine

Well, that was a familiar plot twist. The Pirates wrapped the 2025 set with the Cardinals and somehow turned a really solid Braxton Ashcraft night into another “how did we lose that one?” Ashcraft was smooth and efficient, living in the zone and keeping St. Louis mostly quiet. If you’re building a rotation for the long haul, he keeps looking like a real piece of it.

The vibes turned, of course, when the bullpen walked onto the stage carrying a gas can. A couple of loud swings later and—poof—the lead had vanished. We’ve all seen this episode: high-leverage roulette, and the wheel just won’t land on black and gold.

Offensively, the Bucs created traffic but forgot the GPS. Runners in scoring position turned into “runners still standing there,” and a handful of missed chances added up. It wasn’t for lack of opportunity; it was just one of those nights where the big swing never arrived.

Positives? Plenty. Ashcraft’s poise is real. The rotation core continues to feel like something you can plan around. And when this lineup strings together a couple of timely knocks (it will), these coin-flip games start breaking our way instead of against us.

So take a breath, grab a Primanti’s, and remember: baseball is a 162-game roller coaster. Tonight we hit a loop; tomorrow there’s a straightaway. Neil and Doug unpack the whole thing—bullpen choices, situational hitting, and what tweaks could flip the script—in a tight, entertaining Postgame Show. Watch the full breakdown on NS9, drop a comment with your fix for the late-inning blues, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next happy ending.