Pirates Beat Nationals, 4-2
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – The Pirates picked up a win, beating the Washington Nationals, 4-2 on Monday night.
Paul Maholm (1-3, 3.90 ERA) snagged his first win of the season, allowing just four hits and two runs over seven innings at PNC Park.
The Pirates had a slow start offensively, but they came up with four runs in the fourth inning. It started with Neil Walker's line drive that sent Jose Tabata home.
After Washington's pitcher John Lannan (2-2, 4.05 ERA) walked Steve Pearce, Brandon Wood, making his debut as a Pirate, doubled off of changeup, bringing the score to 3-2.
Chris Snyder's RBI single made it 4-2.
Announced paid attendance was 12,457, but only about 2,600 made it through the turnstiles on what wasn't originally a scheduled game night. Also contributing to the poor showing was rain that caused a 21-minute delay and a Penguins playoff game at the same time.
After Adam LaRoche's two-run single in the first inning, Maholm faced only two over the minimum the rest of the way.
Maholm beat the Nationals for the first time in eight career starts and tied Zach Duke as PNC Park's all-time wins leader with 31.
Evan Meek worked a perfect eighth, and Joel Hanrahan struck out pinch-hitter Rick Ankiel looking with runners on first and third and two outs in the ninth to finish his sixth save.
The Pirates (10-12) will begin a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.
