Konnor Griffin’s two-run single in the eighth inning provided the go-ahead runs as the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates recorded an 11-5 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
Brandon Lowe hit a three-run homer and Bryan Reynolds added a solo shot. Nick Gonzales had three hits for the Pirates.
Gregory Soto (5-2) earned the win in relief, allowing one hit, one run and one walk while striking out two over two innings.
Luis Garcia Jr. was 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and Dylan Crews added a solo shot. Jose Tena and Keibert Ruiz each had two hits for Washington.
The Pirates broke a 4-4 tie with a five-run eighth. With one out, Endy Rodriguez and Jared Triolo singled, and Jake Mangum walked to load the bases. Griffin’s single drove in pinch-runner Henry Davis and Triolo for a 6-4 lead.
Lowe’s homer off Brad Lord (5-2) plated Mangum and Griffin to blow the game open.
Earlier, in the second, Ryan O’Hearn coaxed a leadoff walk before Gonzales singled. Both runners moved up a base on Rodriguez’s groundout to first. Tyler Callihan’s two-run single gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
Washington starter Cade Cavalli’s pickoff throw sailed wide of first and Callihan advanced to third on the two-base error. Pittsburgh led 3-0 on Mangum’s opposite-field RBI single.
Pittsburgh extended its lead to 4-0 in the third on Reynolds’ blast to center.
The Nationals cut their deficit to 4-2 on Garcia’s two-run homer in the third.
Washington pulled within 4-3 in the fourth on Jorbit Vivas’ RBI groundout to first.
After James Wood started the fifth with a walk, Garcia singled and Curtis Mead walked before Mason Montgomery relieved Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler. Griffin made a diving catch on CJ Abrams’ blooper into shallow left, but Wood tagged up and tied the game at 4-4 by beating the throw to the plate.
Later, in the eighth, Crews’ solo shot cut the Pirates’ lead to 9-5.
Davis’ two-run single in the ninth knocked in O’Hearn and Gonzales.
Cavalli allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Chandler gave up four runs on six hits with four walks over four innings.
