Nationals 4, Pirates 2
Stephen Strasburg struck out a season-high 13 and Adam LaRoche belted a go-ahead two-run homer as visiting Washington salvaged the finale of the three-game series.
Strasburg (3-0) allowed two runs – one earned – and five hits in six innings as the Nationals ended a three-game losing skid.
Kevin Correia (1-3) blanked the Nationals over the first five innings before Roger Bernadina led off the sixth with a booming homer to center. Ryan Zimmerman walked and LaRoche hit a mammoth homer to center to give Washington a 3-2 lead.
Strasburg walked the bases loaded with two out in the bottom of the sixth before recovering to strike out Garrett Jones.
Ryan Mattheus pitched the seventh, Tyler Clippard worked the eighth and Henry Rodriguez finished up for his seventh save in nine chances.
Rick Ankiel homered in the ninth to give the Nationals a two-run lead.
Early in the game, Strasburg struck out seven consecutive Pirates. Strasburg fanned Andrew McCutchen to end the first inning and then struck out the side in both the second and third innings.
Jose Tabata ended the streak by singling to center on the first pitch of the fourth. He was sacrificed to second by Alex Presley and McCutchen drove him home with a single to right field.
Bryce Harper made an errant throw home to allow McCutchen to move to second and he scored on Neil Walker’s bloop single to center.
Correia allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Strasburg’s career high for strikeouts is 14, which came in his 2010 major-league debut against Pittsburgh … Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez is 0-for-15 over the last five games … LaRoche has six career homers against the Pirates, who he played for in 2008-09 … Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan was placed on the bereavement list following the death of his grandmother.