Marte Hits 3-Run HR In Eighth, Pirates Top Nationals 4-1
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Starling Marte hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in eighth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 4-1 Tuesday night.
After struggling to manage anything off Stephen Strasburg through seven innings, Pittsburgh loaded the bases against Wander Suero (3-7) with nobody out in the eighth when Adam Frazier bunted a single past the mound. Bryan Reynolds tied it 1-1 with a sacrifice fly before Marte drove a fastball from Daniel Hudson 397 feet to right-center for his 22nd homer of the season.
Pirates closer Felipe Vázquez (3-1) went 1 1/3 inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
Suero, who gave up two hits and one walk, was responsible for three of Pittsburgh's four eighth-inning runs.
The Pirates, who are 8-28 since the All-Star break, had scored one total run in their previous three games.
The Nationals entered two games ahead of the Cubs for the NL's first wild card, and having won seven of their previous eight games. They had scored at least 13 runs in each of their previous three games, totaling a franchise-record 43 runs during that stretch.
Strasburg allowed four hits and had six strikeouts in seven innings, and left the game on track for what would have been his career-high 16th win. He has 15 wins in four of his first 10 major league seasons.
Pirates reliever Clay Holmes hit Adam Eaton with a pitch before being replaced by Michael Feliz in the fifth. Anthony Rendon drove a double to the gap in right-center field off Feliz, scoring Eaton for a 1-0 Nationals lead.
Holmes gave up one run on one hit in 3 2/3 innings after relieving Pirates starter Chris Archer to start the second inning. Archer left with right shoulder discomfort after allowing two hits before stranding runners on second and third with back-to-back strikeouts to end the first.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman continued his rehab assignment with the Potomac Nationals on Tuesday. He began the assignment by playing two games for Double-A Harrisburg after being placed on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his right foot July 22.
Pirates: RHP Richard Rodriguez (right shoulder inflammation) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. ... RHP Montana DuRapau was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. ... Osuna was reinstated from the MLB Suspended List after serving his five-game ban for his role in a July 30 benches-clearing brawl with the Reds. ... RHP Kyle Crick was placed on the suspended list (three games) for his role in that same July 30 incident.
UP NEXT
Nationals: LHP Patrick Corbin (9-5, 3.34) has given up three runs or fewer in 10 of his past 11 starts. He allowed one run on seven hits in six innings of a 2-1 win over Milwaukee his last time out on Aug. 16.
Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (8-11, 4.59) will try for his first win in August. He is 0-2 in three starts this month since last winning July 30, when he surrendered two runs in six innings against Cincinnati.
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