The St. Louis Cardinals were shut out 7-0 by the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 2, 2025, as Andre Pallante's solid start was wasted. Why can't the Cards score?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another game, another goose egg. The St. Louis Cardinals' offense has officially gone missing, culminating in a dismal 7-0 shutout loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. The defeat at PNC Park wasn't just a loss; it was a continuation of a deeply worrying trend that has seen the team drop three straight and score a grand total of two runs in that span.
Over the last two games, the Cardinals are a combined 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
The box score tells a painful story. St. Louis managed just four hits against the Pirates, failing to string anything together. Starter Andre Pallante was solid for much of the game, but the dam broke in the seventh inning when Pittsburgh plated five runs, punctuated by a two-run double from Nick Gonzales. Pallante finished with a respectable line (6.1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER), but without any run support, it was a moot point. Hits from Brendan Donovan and Masyn Winn were mere footnotes in a game where the offense never threatened, going a frustrating 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
This isn't just a slump; it's a full-blown offensive crisis. Being shut out twice in three games is a massive red flag. The team's batting average has plummeted below .220 over the past week, and key cogs in the lineup like Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman have gone silent. The inability to deliver in the clutch is staggering. After another hitless performance with runners on, the Cardinals are now 0-for-15 with RISP in their last two contests. You simply cannot win baseball games with numbers like that.
While the major league club struggles, the farm system continues to offer a glimmer of hope. With no roster moves or trades announced by Chaim Bloom's front office, fans are left to wonder when a spark might arrive. That spark could come from Springfield, where 2024 first-round pick JJ Wetherholt is tearing it up at Double-A. Pitchers Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews are also knocking on the door of the majors. While the organization remains patient, another performance like today's will only increase the volume of calls for a shake-up, whether it comes from Memphis or the trade market.
The Cardinals leave Pittsburgh swept and searching for answers. Now sitting at 44-39, this three-game losing streak has erased the goodwill of their recent hot stretch. The offense must wake up, and fast. With the All-Star break looming, the next series is critical to stop the bleeding and prove that this offensive outage is a blip, not the new reality for a team with postseason aspirations.
