Pirates Late Rally Crushed in Loss to Nationals

Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller had a strong five innings, giving up just a walk and a single and not giving up a run.

That changed when he gave up a leadoff solo home run to Nationals third baseman Brady House, cutting the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Keller than gave up back-to-back hits with one out in a single to shortstop CJ Abrams and a double to left fielder James Wood, putting two Nationals baserunners in scoring position.

Pirates manager Don Kelly brought on left-handed pitcher Evan Sisk in Keller's place and he got a ground ball that Devanney threw home, allowing catcher Henry Davis to tag out Abrams for the second out.

Sisk then walked Nationals designated hitter Daylen Lille and threw a wild pitch, scoring Wood to make it just a 3-2 Pirates lead, before striking out second baseman Luis García Jr. to end the inning.

Right-handed relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas came on for the Pirates in the bottom of the seventh inning. He walked catcher Riley Adams and then gave up a two-run home run to right fielder Dylan Crews, as the Nationals took a 4-3 lead.

Nicolas struck out House for the first out of the inning, gave up a single to center fielder Robert Hassell III, got Abrams to fly out, then allowed a double to Wood, putting two Nationals baserunners in scoring position.

Kelly took Nicolas out and brought on right-handed relief pitcher Dauri Moreta, who gave up a single to Bell and then Cruz missed the ball, as it went past him, scoring both Hassell and Wood, as the Nationals increased their lead to 6-3.

The Pirates needed a late rally in the top of the ninth to make it a game and they got a good start with a ground-rule double from Gonzales and a single from pinch-hitter Nick Yorke, scoring Gonzales and cutting the deficit to 6-4.

Devanney struck out and Alexander Canario walked, putting two baserunners on for the Pirates.

Joey Bart came in and pinch-hit for Davis, representing the go-ahead run, and then Nationals left-handed pitcher Jose A. Ferrer threw a wild pitch, moving both Yorke and Canario into scoring positon.

Bart then hit a single, scoring Yorke, but Wood made a great throw from left field, allowing Nationals catcher Jorge Alfaro to tag Canario out at home, preventing the Pirates from tying the game.

Triolo then flew out in the next at-bat, as the Pirates fell short in their late comeback in the 6-5 defeat.

Pittsburgh sees their losing continue after winning 12-of-16 games from Aug. 18-Sept. 4, which included home sweeps of the Colorado Rockie and the Los Angeles Dodgers.