Pirates Preview: Bucs Try for More Fireworks on 4th of July

Danny Demilio |

Jul 4, 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates capped off a perfect homestand with a 5-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday afternoon.

The win was the third shutout in a row from the Pirates, who outscored the Cardinals and New York Mets 43-4 for back-to-back series sweeps.

The Pirates (38-50) will look to keep things rolling on the road against the Seattle Mariners (45-42) on Friday. Happy 4th of July, America!

First pitch is set for 12:35 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan.

Partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 70s. Winds W at 4-6 mph.

Falter should be fresh after only throwing 1.2 innings before a rain delay against the Mets on Saturday.

It was the end of a shaky month of June for the left-hander, who posted a 5.14 ERA across five starts.

Falter is hoping July looks more like May, when he finished second in baseball with a 0.76 ERA across six starts during the month.

In three starts against Seattle in his career, Falter is 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA.

Woo threw six-shutout innings and struck out nine at the Texas Rangers the last time he was on the mound on Saturday.

Over his last three starts, the right-hander has a sparkling 0.95 ERA and has struck out 24 batters in 19 innings.

Woo ranks third in the American League with 1.51 walks per nine, sixth in WHIP (0.97), 10th in batting average against (.215) and 12th in ERA.

This will be his first start against the Pirates.

The Pirates’ 43 runs during their six-game winning streak are the most runs scored f0r a team while holding their opponents to four runs or fewer in MLB history.
The last time the Pirates shutout an opponent in three-straight games was in 2015. The last time they shutout an opponent in each game of a three-game series was in 1976.
The Pirates are seeking their first seven-game winning streak since April 17-23, 2023.