Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score on May 16, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 16, 2017

PITTSBURGH -- The Washington Nationals pounded Pittsburgh Pirates starter Chad Kuhl for 10 hits and six runs over four-plus innings on the way to an 8-4 series-opening victory on Tuesday night at PNC Park.

The Nationals got to Kuhl (1-4) early and often, scoring in three of the first four frames.

Jayson Werth singled home Trea Turner in the first inning, then scored along with Stephen Strasburg on Ryan Zimmerman's two-run double in the third. Werth finished 3-for-5, and Turner, Zimmerman and Bryce Harper each recorded two hits for Washington.

In the fourth inning, Wilmer Difo hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center field. Harper walked to lead off the fifth inning and scored on Matt Wieters' single. Kuhl was removed after facing two batters in the fifth inning. He had thrown 89 pitches.

Every Washington starter recorded a hit.

The Pirates struck early against Strasburg (4-1), with Josh Harrison hitting a solo home run in the first inning. The long ball was Harrison's sixth of the season.

Strasburg responded by allowing just one hit over the next five innings. He left after facing two batters in the seventh, and he was charged with three runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked three in a 108-pitch outing.

The seventh inning turned into a mess for the Nationals, as it took four pitchers to get through the inning and the Pirates scored three runs. Zimmerman had a throwing error on a potential double-play ball that could have ended the inning without any damage. The Nationals' bullpen now has a 5.35 ERA as a unit, second worst in the National League.

Blake Treinen settled things down, recording three outs on two hitters with a double play and a strikeout as the last pitcher of the seventh inning. Enny Romero threw a 1-2-3 eighth, and Koda Glover struck out two while allowing two hits in the ninth.

Daniel Hudson, Johnny Barbato and Wade LeBlanc combined to pitch five innings of relief for the Pirates. The only blemish was a two-run home run by Harper in the ninth, given up by LeBlanc.

Harrison and Adam Frazier collected two hits apiece for Pittsburgh.

NOTES: Pirates RF Gregory Polanco did not play after leaving Sunday's game in Arizona with a sore left hamstring. ... Pittsburgh RHP Felipe Rivero (sore neck) did not pitch. He hasn't pitched since May 13. ... RHP Daniel Hudson finished the fifth inning for the Pirates. He has typically pitched the eighth inning this season, but he had given up nine runs in his last six innings. He allowed an inherited runner to score and gave up one hit. ... Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, including an 0-for-2 mark with runners in scoring position. His batting average is a career-low .206. ... Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman's two RBIs increased his major-league-leading total to 38. He also leads the league with a .388 batting average. ... Washington RF Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run, his 13th of the season. PNC Park had been the last National League ballpark in which Harper had not homered.