At the top of the first-inning with shortstop Ian Desmond on third and outfielder Jayson Werth on second, Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche came to bat and drove a ball up the center of the field for a two-run single that has been the difference in the rubber match with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park Monday night. The Nationals lead the Pirates 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth-inning, but the game has entered a rain delay as bad weather has moved into the Pittsburgh area.
Nationals starter John Lannan has not looked strong as he has thrown a lot of balls out of the zone, but he has only walked one and has done enough to nearly stop the Pittsburgh offense cold. The only run for the Pirates came just before the rain delay when Jose Tabata scored on a bad throw from Jayson Werth. On a Neil Walker single Tabata went home with Werth throwing the ball to catcher Wilson Ramos. However, Werth slipped and the ball bounced hitting Ramos in the pads which gave Tabata all the time he needed.
The tarp is out on the field at PNC Park with the majority of the storms supposedly moving out of the area by 8:45 P.M. EST.