Stallings' RBI single in 11th lifts Pirates past Nationals
PITTSBURGH -- Pinch-hitter Jacob Stallings hit a bases-loaded, two-out, full-count RBI single to left in the 11th as the Pittsburgh Pirates came from behind Friday to beat Washington 6-5 at PNC Park and keep the Nationals from moving closer to clinching the National League East title.
Washington (89-64) still has a magic number of two for clinching, thanks to its loss and a win by the New York Mets.
Pittsburgh (77-76) has won seven of its past 10 and eight of its past 12, but time is running out on its playoff hopes. It was four games out of an NL wild-card spot, pending San Francisco's later game, with nine games remaining.
Washington's Wilson Ramos broke a 3-3 tie with his 22nd homer, to right-center, to lead off the sixth. Reliever Jared Hughes later that inning walked in a run to make it 5-3.
Pittsburgh got back to within a run, 5-4, in the bottom of the sixth when reliever Marc Rzrepczynski walked pinch-hitter Jason Rogers with the bases loaded.
Former Pirates closer Mark Melancon made his first appearance back at PNC Park pitching the ninth or the Nationals, but it wasn't a sweet return. He gave up the tying run on Sean Rodriguez's two-out RBI double to center, sending the game to extra innings.
Wade LeBlanc (4-0) pitched the 11th for his first win with Pittsburgh. Yusmiero Petit (3-5) pitched the 11th for the Nationals and took the loss.
Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez gave up three runs on five hits over five innings.
Pittsburgh rookie starter Jameson Taillon, who had pitched at least six innings in seven of his first nine starts at home, lasted five innings. He allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Pittsburgh lost a player to injury before it got a chance to bat. Left fielder Gregory Polanco left in the top of the first inning after crashing into the outfield wall. With two outs, Washington's Bryce Harper hit a double to left that was nearly a homer. Polanco leaped to try to catch the ball, crashing left-side-first into the wall. The club said he had a contusion on the left side of his face.
Washington put up three runs in the second.
Stephen Drew and Ryan Zimmerman hit back-to-back doubles for a 1-0 lead. Zimmerman's liner to right-center was his 1,500th career hit. Danny Espinosa followed with his 23rd homer, to dead center, to make it 3-0.
The Pirates drew within 3-2 in the bottom of the second. Alen Hanson reached on an infield chopper, advanced on David Freese's bloop single and Josh Bell's fly out to right, then scored on Taillon's single up the middle.
Adam Frazier's single up the middle pushed Freese home to make it 3-2.
Pittsburgh tied it at 3 in the third when Andrew McCutchen led off with a triple to center and scored on Jung Ho Kang's groundout.
NOTES: Washington 2B Daniel Murphy was out of the lineup for the fifth game in a row. The Nationals have not divulged the nature of his injury. ... A game after he was removed from a game because of recurring back tightness, Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte was not in the starting lineup. ... The Pirates recalled LHP Phil Coke from Triple-A Indianapolis a day after he was acquired from the Yankees in a minor league deal for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, Pittsburgh placed RHP A.J. Schugel (right shoulder) on the 60-day DL. ... Pittsburgh lists LHP Steven Brault (0-3, 4.26 ERA) as its Sunday starter. The slot was previously TBA. Washington has not named a starter for that game. ... 1B/OF Josh Bell was named Pittsburgh's minor league player of the year, and RHP Mitch Keller was named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year. ... Thursday was the Nationals' final day off of the regular season.