Thursday, June 24th, 2021.
Go ahead and mark that down as the defining point of the season for the Cardinals’ franchise.
The club entered the game against the Pirates in a tailspin. After barely scraping out a sweep against the hapless Marlins – a feat which required two walk-off hits – the Cardinals went on the road, winning only one game in six against the Braves and Tigers.
Still, there was optimism as the club returned home. The stadium was expected to fill up as vacationers were more willing to brave crowds post-COVID shutdowns.