Chavis' three hits help Pirates power past Nationals 6-4
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Michael Chavis capped a three-hit night with a leadoff triple in the eighth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 6-4 on Saturday.
Diego Castillo drove in Chavis with a single, giving Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead. Chavis has reached safely in eight of 14 plate appearances this season.
Dillon Peters (2-0) relieved Pirates starter Bryse Wilson and pitched two no-hit innings. David Bednar surrendered one hit and one walk in 1 2/3 innings.
Juan Soto homered, doubled, and walked twice, but Washington was 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11.
Two more runs crossed for the Pirates in the eighth when César Hernández tossed what could have completed an inning-ending double play past Josh Bell at first.
Chavis had one of three straight singles for Pittsburgh in the fifth, the first two chasing Nationals starter Josh Rogers (1-1). Ke'Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds reached off Rogers, and Chavis took Steve Cishek to right for an RBI.
Rogers allowed three runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Wilson gave up two runs and four hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Soto took a changeup from Wilson 382 feet to right, knotting it 2-all in the fifth with his third homer. It bounced through a stairwell and into the Allegheny River, making Soto the 43rd different player to reach the water since PNC Park opened in 2001.
Bell dropped an RBI single into left off Chris Stratton in the ninth, cutting the deficit to three, before Soto scored on a force out for the 6-4 final.
CATCH A PAIR
Pittsburgh right fielder Ben Gamel ended Washington's half of the fifth by laying out while charging left, robbing Keibert Ruiz. That came two innings after Nelson Cruz seemed destined for a couple of bases before Gamel dove forward.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Aníbal Sánchez (neck stiffness) has started throwing off flat ground, manager Dave Martinez said.
Pirates: OF Anthony Alford (right wrist sprain) began a rehab assignment with Low-A Bradenton on Saturday. … SS Kevin Newman is day-to-day with a groin injury that had him miss a second straight game.
UP NEXT
Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (0-2, 10.80 ERA) will cap the four-game series against the Pirates opposite LHP José Quintana (0-1, 1.69) on Sunday. Corbin gave up six runs in 2 2/3 innings his last time out, a 16-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. Quintana took the loss in Pittsburgh's home opener on Tuesday but allowed just one run in 5 1/3 innings.
