For the fourth game in a row, the Pittsburgh Pirates had victory within reach but couldn’t come up with the plays they needed.
Trailing 6-3 heading into the ninth inning, the Pirates (64-84) got started with a Nick Gonzales ground rule double. September call-up Nick Yorke singled Gonzales home, and an Alexander Canario walk pushed Yorke into scoring position. Joey Bart pinch-hit for Henry Davis, and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before Bart roped a single into left.
Yorke scored and Canario tried to follow him home, but Nationals’ left fielder James Wood managed to hose him at the plate on an awkward slide attempt, preserving the lead. A Jared Triolo fly ball ended the game, giving the Pirates their seventh consecutive loss.
The Buccos led 3-0 in the fifth inning after a Bryan Reynolds RBI single and a two-run home run from first baseman Spencer Horwitz, but Mitch Keller began to tire after five scoreless innings.
Nationals third baseman Brady House clubbed Keller’s first pitch of the sixth inning, an 85 mile per hour slider, over the center field wall, then a single and a double put runners in scoring position with one out. Evan Sisk entered in relief and managed to erase the lead runner at home plate on a comebacker to the mound, then walked the bases loaded and allowed a run to cross on a wild pitch.
Dylan Crews put the Nationals in front in the seventh with a two-run home run off Kyle Nicholas, then former Pirate Josh Bell plated two more runs with a single, this one off Dauri Moreta. Despite Pittsburgh’s attempt at ninth inning heroics, Nationals’ closer Jose Ferrer managed to secure the save.