WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Braxton Ashcraft pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 7-1 on Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park before 28,125. Ashcraft (9-3) allowed six hits and struck out seven in the win. He got support from a four-run second inning, highlighted by Henry Davis’ RBI single and Brandon Lowe’s two-run single. Nick Gonzales added two hits and a run-scoring single in the eighth, and Davis also walked in a run later. Washington took a 1-0 lead in the first on James Wood’s solo home run. Pirates starter Ashcraft settled in after that, while Pittsburgh’s bullpen of Cam Sanders, Dennis Santana, Yohan Ramírez and Mason Montgomery combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out three. Nationals starter Carson Palmquist (0-1) took the loss, surrendering five runs on eight hits over four innings. Zack Littell threw six innings of relief, allowing one earned run. The Pirates improved to 45-45, while the Nationals fell to 46-44. The two teams conclude their series Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Braxton Ashcraft pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, striking out seven, and Henry Davis drove in two runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Washington Nationals 7-1 on Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park. The Fourth of July matinee drew 28,125 fans, who saw the Pirates snap a three-game skid and even their record at 45-45. Washington fell to 46-44, missing a chance to build on Friday’s 9-5 win in the series opener. Pittsburgh seized control early, scoring once in the first inning and four more in the second. The Pirates’ five-run second inning turned a 1-1 tie into a comfortable lead, and the bullpen locked down Washington’s offense from there. James Wood put the Nationals ahead in the bottom of the first with a solo home run to right field, his 23rd of the season. Ashcraft allowed only that run, but the Pirates answered immediately. Konnor Griffin started the top of the first with a single to right field. After Brandon Lowe struck out, Bryan Reynolds singled to put runners at the corners. Esmerlyn Valdez struck out and Ryan O’Hearn went down on a foul tip, leaving Griffin stranded. In the second, Pittsburgh’s lineup erupted. Nick Gonzales singled to left field, and Jake Mangum was hit by a pitch. Tyler Callihan laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Davis then grounded a single to third base, scoring Gonzales. Griffin struck out, but Lowe lined a two-run single to center, driving in Mangum and Callihan. After Bryan Reynolds popped out, Valdez singled to right to score Davis, making it 5-1. Valdez was caught stealing second to end the inning. Washington starter Carson Palmquist, making his season debut, was charged with five runs on seven hits over 1 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two, taking the loss to fall to 0-1. Zack Littell relieved Palmquist in the second and gave the Nationals six innings of effective relief, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts. Littell’s lone blemish came in the eighth, when Pittsburgh added two more runs. Ashcraft worked efficiently through the first five innings, mixing a fastball and changeup to keep Washington hitters off balance. He allowed only Wood’s home run and scattered five other hits, walking one and striking out seven before exiting with two outs in the sixth. The Nationals threatened in the bottom of the fourth against Ashcraft. Daylen Lile singled and Dylan Crews followed with a single, putting runners at first and third with one out. But Jose Tena grounded into a double play, second baseman Brandon Lowe to shortstop Konnor Griffin to first baseman Tyler Callihan, ending the inning. Washington again put two runners on in the fifth. Drew Millas struck out, but Nasim Nunez walked. Wood grounded out, moving Nunez to second, and Luis Garcia grounded out, ending the threat. In the bottom of the sixth, Curtis Mead singled off Ashcraft, but Griffin turned another double play on a grounder from CJ Abrams. Daylen Lile then singled, but Dylan Crews struck out to end Ashcraft’s outing. Ashcraft’s performance was a bounce-back from a rough start June 29 against Philadelphia, when he allowed five earned runs in six innings. In his start before that, he held Seattle to one run over six innings. His season record improved to 9-3. Cam Sanders relieved Ashcraft in the seventh and retired the first two batters, but walked Jose Tena and Drew Millas, putting runners at first and second. Mason Montgomery entered and induced a ground ball from Nasim Nunez, but Lowe to Griffin to Callihan turned a third double play, erasing the threat. Montgomery struck out Wood to end the inning. Dennis Santana pitched a perfect eighth, striking out one, and Yohan Ramirez worked a scoreless ninth with one strikeout. The three relievers combined for 3 1/3 hitless innings. Pittsburgh’s two-run eighth came against reliever Riley Cornelio. Bryan Reynolds led off with a soft single to the catcher. After Valdez struck out, Ryan O’Hearn singled to right, moving Reynolds to third. Gonzales then singled to left to score Reynolds. Jake Mangum grounded into a force out, putting runners at the corners. Tyler Callihan walked, and Davis walked to force in O’Hearn, making it 7-1. Griffin struck out to end the inning. The Pirates finished with 11 hits, led by Gonzales, who went 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. Davis was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a walk. Lowe had two hits and two RBIs. For the Nationals, Wood was 1 for 2 with a home run and a walk, and Lile had two hits. Washington managed only six hits, with no extra-base hits after Wood’s homer. The Nationals went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and struck out 12 times. The game lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes. Pittsburgh now heads into Sunday’s series finale looking to win the series. The Pirates return home Tuesday to face the Atlanta Braves, while Washington will host the Houston Astros starting Monday. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington 6, Pittsburgh 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Nationals a 51 percent probability to win. Pittsburgh was a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 8 went over the over-under line of 10.

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals will meet Saturday in a split doubleheader at Nationals Park, with first pitch for the afternoon game at 1:05 p.m. and the nightcap at 7:05 p.m. The forecast calls for clear skies and a game-time temperature of 99 degrees. Washington (45-43) holds a one-game edge over Pittsburgh (44-44) in the National League standings. The Nationals won Friday’s series opener 9-1, extending their head-to-head advantage to 3-2 this season. Game 1: Pirates RHP Jared Jones vs. Nationals RHP Andrew Alvarez Jones (4-3, 4.50 ERA) will start the opener for Pittsburgh. He pitched four innings of two-hit ball Thursday in a 6-1 win at Philadelphia, striking out six. In his past five outings, Jones has a 4.60 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 19⅔ innings. Alvarez (3-2, 3.22 ERA) counters for Washington. He threw 4⅔ scoreless innings Wednesday at Boston in a 10-2 victory, fanning six. Alvarez has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his past four starts, posting a 1.69 ERA in that span. Game 2: TBD vs. TBD Pittsburgh activated RHP Carmen Mlodzinski off the injured list Friday; he threw three scoreless innings Thursday at Philadelphia. Washington’s bullpen has a 3.85 ERA over its past seven games. Players to watch: Pirates shortstop Nick Gonzales went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs Thursday and is hitting .327 with nine homers in his past 24 games. Nationals left fielder James Wood homered and drove in three runs Wednesday at Boston. He has an .876 OPS over his past 15 games. Trends: Pittsburgh has alternated wins and losses over its past six games. Washington is 6-3 in its past nine. The game simulator projects a 6-5 Nationals win. The Pirates opened as minus-1.5 favorites, and the over-under is 10 runs. Up next: The teams conclude the series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Pittsburgh then returns home for six games against Atlanta and Milwaukee. Washington begins a six-game homestand against Houston and the New York Yankees.