The Pittsburgh Pirates are rolling into Progressive Field tonight against the Cleveland Guardians with Jared Jones on the mound, and if his last outing is any indication, they better bring the bats. Jones threw six incredible innings of no-hit, no-run baseball on July 8 against the Atlanta Braves. The dude was lights out. But the offense ghosted him, dropping a brutal 3-0 loss at home. That’s a gut punch no pitcher deserves, especially with the stakes where they are now.
Jones Needs Some Run Support, Stat
Jones, who’s sitting at 1-1 with a 4.37 ERA through eight starts this season, clearly knows how to pitch. His performance against the Braves was his longest of the year, showing he can go deep and dominate. Six innings, zero hits, zero runs, and somehow still taking the L? Brutal. Tonight, back after the All-Star break, the Pirates absolutely need to flip that script. They are hitting the road for the first time in Cleveland since 2024, and this series has gotta be a launching pad if they want to stay in the fight.
Gavin Williams Is On Fire
On the other side of the hill, the Guardians are countering with Gavin Williams, who’s been a beast. Seriously, he’s arguably their best starter this season. The guy racked up ten victories in the first half of the season, a seriously impressive haul. His last start on July 9 saw him go seven innings against the Minnesota Twins, giving up just three hits and two earned runs in a solid 5-2 victory at Target Field. Williams is 10-4 with a 3.81 ERA, and he’s going to be a tough out tonight for the Pirates’ lineup.
This isn’t just another game, folks. The Pirates are currently two games back in the NL Wild Card standings, so every single pitch from here on out is absolutely crucial. They need every win they can get, starting tonight at 7:10 p.m. ET in Cleveland. Can the bats finally wake up for Jones? Will Williams continue his dominant run? You know I’ll be glued to KDKA AM/FM or Sportsnet Pittsburgh to find out. This is where seasons are made!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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