Nick Gonzales drove in three runs and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat the visiting Washington Nationals 9-4 on Thursday.
The Pirates (66-74) bounced back after being no-hit for the first time in four years when they lost 12-0 to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter (7-7) allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out three. Aroldis Chapman recorded the game’s final two outs for his sixth save.
Andres Chaparro homered for Washington (62-78), which has lost five of its past six games. Juan Yepez, Jose Tena and Nasim Nunez each had two hits in the opener of the four-game series.
Washington took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Yepez doubled in a run with one out and Chaparro followed with his third homer this season, a 419-foot, two-run shot to left-center field.
The Pirates sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits in the second inning against Jake Irvin (9-12).
Jared Triolo, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan Reynolds each singled in a run to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs, Gonzales added to the lead with a two-run single.
The rough inning was the second time in as many starts that Irvin struggled in the second frame. He allowed seven runs in the second inning of a 7-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs last Friday.
Irvin allowed another run in the third inning on Thursday. Connor Joe hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Irvin’s errant pickoff throw and scored on Yasmani Grandal’s single to right field.
Irvin allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out four.
Pittsburgh drew clear with three runs in the sixth inning. After Reynolds was intentionally walked by Joe La Sorsa to load the bases with two outs, Triolo scored on a passed ball. La Sorsa hit Oneil Cruz with a pitch.
Eduardo Salazar replaced La Sorsa and issued consecutive bases-loaded walks to Gonzales and Rowdy Tellez. Salazar escaped further damage when Joe lined out.
The Nationals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against Joey Wentz and pushed a run across when Chaparro was hit by a pitch. Chapman replaced Wentz and recorded two quick outs for the save.
–Field Level Media
