Nationals drop series finale against the Pirates, 7-3

Pittsburgh, PA - The Pirates defeated the Washington Nationals this afternoon at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA, 7-3

The Washington Nationals record is now 64-79 while they are against other teams in the National League 43-57 and are 14-15 against N.L. Central teams.

The Nationals' next three series will be against teams in the N.L. East. They will not face another NL Central team until they travel to Chicago to face the Cubs later in the month. The Nationals will end up splitting this four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Despite today's loss, the Washington Nationals have shown resilience in recent series play. They've split or won at least two games in three of their last four series, including a successful series against the New York Yankees.

Getting the loss for the Nationals was LHP Patrick Corbin, who recently was performing well. Entering today's game, Corbin has pitched to a 3-0 record and 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22.0 IP) over his last four starts, and during that span, left-handed batters are 1-for-20 against him (.050 AVG).

Corbin wasn't as sharp as his previous outings. However, he did try to chew up some innings, pitching 6.0 innings, giving up seven runs on ten hits, striking out five but allowing three home runs. Corbin faced 29 batters and threw 102 pitches, with 69 of them being strikes.

Corbin's 1.18 home runs per 9.0 innings entering today's game put him sixth among National League left-handed pitchers. He has kept the ball in the park in 16 of his 28 starts this season.

The Nationals got off to a quick start in the top of the first when CJ Abrams hit his 19th home run and 39th of his career to center field. However, the Nationals weren't to string hits together to help them score as the team went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position this afternoon. The Nationals also committed an error this afternoon.

Jacob Young got his 34 RBI this season when he singled on a line drive to right fielder Bryan De La Cruz, scoring Keibert Ruiz in the top of the second inning. Still, the Nationals were already trailing 2-4 after Corbin surrendered four in the bottom of the first.

It wasn't until the top of the ninth that Andrés Chaparro doubled (9) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Michael A. Taylor, scoring James Wood from first base.

Former Washington Nationals and current Pittsburgh Pirate Michael A. Taylor hit his 100th career homerun this afternoon.

The Nationals will have the day off tomorrow and only two more days off for the remainder of the season. Following today's game, the Nationals will return home for an off day on Monday before starting a six-game homestand with two games against the Atlanta Braves and four with the Miami Marlins.

The Nationals' probable starter for Tuesday's game against the Braves is going to be LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-11, 4.32), and the Nationals will face RHP Reynaldo López (8-5, 2.04) from the Atlanta Braves.