Nationals bounce back to salvage series finale against Pirates

Josiah Gray pitched six strong innings and the host Washington Nationals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 on Sunday in a game whose start was delayed two hours and 26 minutes by rain.

Joey Meneses had four hits and Victor Robles had two hits and drove in two runs for Washington, which had lost three straight games. The Nationals pounded out 15 hits with each player in the lineup getting at least one.

Gray (2-4) allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six. Over his last four starts, Gray is 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA.

Bryan Reynolds and Tucupita Marcano each had two hits and drove in a run for the Pirates, who had won four straight and 11 of 12. They still finished April with the best record in the National League at 20-9.

Pirates starters Johan Oviedo (2-2) allowed seven runs on nine hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.

After getting drubbed 16-1 Saturday night, the Nationals jumped on Oviedo early Sunday. Keibert Ruiz and Meneses singled with two outs in the first, and Jeimer Candelario followed with a double to the gap in left center to make it 2-0.

The Nationals put runners on first and third in the second after Lane Thomas led off with a walk and went to third on Robles' one-out single, while Robles went to second on the throw.

Pittsburgh catcher Austin Hedges made a diving catch on Alex Call's squeeze bunt attempt for the second out, but Luis Garcia sent a single up the middle to plate both runners. Garcia later scored on a single by Meneses, and Washington led 5-0.

The Pirates got one back in the third when Ji Hwan Bae singled, stole second and scored on Reynolds' single. Pittsburgh loaded the bases with two outs, but Jack Suwinski was retired on a smash to first.

Washington chased Oviedo in the third when Robles' one-out double scored Dominic Smith and CJ Abrams to make it 7-1. The Pirates added a run in the ninth on Marcano's single to center.