Part 10/13:
The Pittsburgh Pirates continue their push in the NL Central, winning their second consecutive game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Key moments included Brandon Lau’s inside-the-park home run (overturned to a traditional homer upon review) and Braxton Ashcraft’s impressive seven-inning, one-run effort with nine strikeouts. Ashcraft’s fastball-slider-slider combination has become a weapon for the Pirates, who are now 26-24 and still vying for a playoff spot.
The St. Louis Cardinals, despite a solid 28-21 record, have dropped three of their last four games and are falling behind in the division race. The NL Central remains highly competitive, with the Pirates, Cardinals, Reds, and Brewers all vying for top spots.