Nationals' Ninth-Inning Effort Not Enough Against Pirates at PNC Park

The Washington Nationals faced a challenging game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, ending with a 6-1 score. This result brought the Nationals to a 7-11 record, while the Pirates improved to 7-12. Despite their efforts, the Nationals struggled to find momentum throughout most of the game.

Nationals' Struggles and Late Push

The Nationals had difficulty getting on base, managing only 3 hits in total. Their batting average was .115, reflecting their struggles at bat. Keibert Ruiz and James Wood were among those who couldn't make significant impacts offensively. The team’s lone run came in the ninth inning when Alex Call managed an RBI but it was too late for a comeback.

On the pitching side, Mitchell Parker started strong with an impressive ERA of 1.5 over six innings pitched and allowed only one earned run. However, relief pitchers Jorge López and Eduardo Salazar faced challenges as they allowed multiple runs during their stints on the mound.

Pirates Capitalize on Opportunities

The Pirates capitalized on opportunities presented by Washington's bullpen in later innings. A pivotal moment occurred in the seventh inning when Pittsburgh scored five runs off three hits including two home runs that widened their lead significantly.

Pittsburgh's Bryan Reynolds contributed significantly with his performance at bat helping secure this victory for his team by maintaining pressure on Washington’s defense throughout key moments of playtime.

Looking ahead to future games: Fans can catch up next time as these teams meet again tomorrow afternoon (April 17th) starting from around noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) live via SportsNet PT broadcasting network directly from PNC Park located within Pennsylvania state boundaries near downtown city area known commonly among locals simply as "the Burgh."

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