PIRATES

As was the case in Tuesday's loss, it took some time for the Pirates to begin capitalizing on opportunities and manufacturing runs on this particular night. 

They were held to two hits in the first four innings before getting on the board in the fifth and adding in the latter stages to make things interesting after being down by four runs. It was too little, too late, though, as the Pirates couldn't do enough to avoid suffering a 5-4 loss to the Cardinals and seeing their losing streak reach four games at PNC Park. 

"We're beating it up, talking about it and when you talk about finishing right there — down 5-1, had multiple opportunities, bases loaded, guys on the bases and we're able to push for it and get to four runs," said Don Kelly, whose team finished with eight hits, went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners on base. "Just fell short."

Spencer Horwitz got the scoring started with his third home run of the season in the fifth before two walks and a Joey Bart single loaded the bases in the seventh, setting the stage for Nick Yorke, who was tasked with pinch-hitting for Brandon Lowe against left-hander JoJo Romero. That's a decision that didn't work out the last time Don Kelly made it against the Nationals on April 15. This time around, it paid off, as Yorke sent a two-run single into right-center field to make it a two-run game. 

"I thought he did a great job there," Kelly said. "It's a big moment and he does a really good job of going the other way. Was able to find the gap there in a big situation."

Now trailing by two, the Pirates had a chance to further shift the momentum in their favor. Bryan Reynolds walked to load the bases again and Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna followed with a strikeout and a groundout, respectively, to end the threat. The Pirates added another run in the eighth, but they couldn't find that one big hit to keep the game going in the ninth. Nick Gonzales nearly delivered it with one out to spare, sending a ball out to deep left field. But Nathan Church delivered in his own right, making a catch at the wall on a ball that would have been gone in 27 of 30 ballparks in Major League Baseball.

"It can be frustrating, but it's the game we play,” Gonzales said. “Guys are battling. Everyone's battling, trying to do their job and facing really good pitching. We're just trying to do what we can to get those runs across. Everyone's really trying their best out there."

The Pirates came close to ending a three-game skid and sending the home crowd happy with a come-from-behind win. A walkoff homer certainly would’ve put the exclamation point on it. Instead, they fell short and are now faced with the possibility of being swept and seeing their losing streak reach five games. 

"You're talking about a matter of feet right there and again, it's been a tough series," Kelly said. "We need to find a way to bounce back tomorrow. We've got Paul (Skenes) on the mound and need to find a way to get this one."