SB Nation DC - Nationals Vs. Pirates Final Score: Washington Bashes Season-High 15 Hits To Defeat Pittsburgh 6-3https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2011-04-24T19:01:13-04:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18943222011-04-24T19:01:13-04:002011-04-24T19:01:13-04:00Jayson Werth Throws Out Andrew McCutheon At Home To End Nationals Vs. Pirates Game
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<p>Baseball doesn't really let you embed video, which is unfortunate, because the end of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a> Vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> game was very exciting. Trailing 6-3 with one out in the ninth inning, the Pirates hit what looked like a sacrifice fly to right field. Except, instead, <span>Jayson Werth</span> fired an absolute bullet to nail Andrew McCutheon at home and end the game.</p>
<p>The video of the play is <a href="http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14134615&topic_id=8877508&c_id=was">here</a>. Clearly, there's a lot going on in the play. There probably aren't many right fielders who even make the throw Werth made. There also probably aren't many baserunners who fail to score in that spot regardless. Of course, you could argue, as Clint Hurdle did, that McCutheon was safe. Finally, you could argue, as F.P. Santangelo did, that McCutheon probably shouldn't have even tried to score, with his team trailing by three runs. But none of that takes away from the fact that Werth's throw was simply outstanding.</p>
<p>Maybe the throw alone isn't worth $126 million, but you can certainly see the things Werth adds defensively to this ballclub. Screenshots after the jump.</p>
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https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-nationals/2011/4/24/2130773/jayson-werth-nationals-andrew-mccutheonMike Prada2011-04-24T16:38:26-04:002011-04-24T16:38:26-04:00Nationals Vs. Pirates: Washington Defeats Pittsburgh 6-3 As Bats Come Alive
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<p>You wouldn't know it from the final run total, but the Washington Nationals exploded offensively this afternoon, hammering out a season-high 15 hits to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 at PNC Park. With the win, Washington climbs back to .500 on the young season, at 10-10 (5-6 away from Nats Park). The game ended in spectacular fashion as Jayson Werth threw out the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen , who for some reason was trying to tag up at third base down three runs.</p>
<p>Michael Morse (three for four, 3 run HR) and Danny Espinosa (three for five, one run scored) led the way at the plate, but almost everyone in the Nats lineup chipped in today, even starting pitcher Jason Marquis, who had two singles in three trips to the plate.</p>
<p>Marquis gave skipper Jim Riggleman and a beleaguered Washington bullpen six effective innings, limiting Pittsburgh to three runs despite eight hits allowed. Tyler Clippard went two strong innings, lowering his ERA to 1.26 for the year. Drew Storen escaped two throwing errors in the ninth, aided by that Werth throw, to notch his third save of 2011 (oh yeah, his ERA happens to be a microscopic 0.71).</p>
<p>Neil Walker (three for four) and Pedro Alvarez (two for four, one run scored) led the Pirates at the plate. Pittsburgh starter Kevin Correia was knocked out of the game in the fifth inning after allowing five runs on eleven hits.</p>
<p>The Nationals and Pirates wrap up their four-turned-three game set tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. It will be dueling lefties, as Washington's John Lannan (2-1, 3.43 ERA) will face Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm (0-3, 4.30 ERA). Trust me, good seats are still available.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-nationals/2011/4/24/2130530/nationals-vs-pirates-score-finalT.J. Doyle2011-04-24T15:22:55-04:002011-04-24T15:22:55-04:00Nationals Vs. Pirates Score: Washington Leads 5-3 As Michael Morse Breaks Out Offensively
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<p>In front of what appears to be hundreds and hundreds of fans at PNC Park today, the Nationals lead the Pirates 5-3, as Michael Morse has homered and driven in three runs already. Adam LaRoche stung his old team with a homer in the top of the fifth inning, finally answering the boo birds who apparently missed his good-field/no-hit routine in Pittsburgh and were sad to see him go.</p>
<p>Jason Marquis has been effective if not stellar, allowing eight hits but only three runs through five innings of play. Marquis also decided to chip in at the plate, going two for two, joining three other Nats with multi-hit games so far (the aforementioned Mr. Morse, as well as Danny Espinosa and Jerry Hairston, Jr.). A tired Nationals bullpen could really use two or three more innings from Marquis this afternoon to recharge their batteries, er, arms.</p>
<p>Washington chased Pittsburgh starter Kevin Correia in the top of the fifth, after the early-season Pirates ace allowed five runs on 11 hits on 84 pitches.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-nationals/2011/4/24/2130463/nationals-vs-pirates-scoreT.J. Doyle2011-04-24T12:42:15-04:002011-04-24T12:42:15-04:00Nationals Vs. Pirates: Jason Marquis Takes The Mound Looking To Get Washington Back To .500
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<p>What a difference a year makes (at least so far) for <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nationals</a> starter <span>Jason Marquis</span>. After a 2010 that saw the Washington righty miss a significant portion of the year and ultimately finish a dismal 2-9, Marquis (1-0, 3.26 ERA) has thrown three quality starts to begin the 2011 campaign, finally notching his first win of the year against the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brewers</a> last week after allowing just two earned runs in seven innings.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh, perennial doormats since the surly B Boys left (Bonds and Bonilla of course), are a middling-but-great-for-them 9-11 on the year, and look to new acquisition <span>Kevin Correia</span> (3-1, 2.48 ERA) to continue his early season success. Correia is actually undefeated against the Nationals in his career, going 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA in three previous starts with San Diego and San Francisco.</p>
<p>First pitch from PNC Park is at 1:35 p.m. on MASN2. Unless of course mother nature wants to wash out yet another Nationals game this year (not likely, but after three rainouts in the last week anything is possible).</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/24/2334044/nationals-vs-pirates-jason-marquis-takes-the-mound-looking-to-getT.J. Doyle