The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Washington Nationals 10-3 on April 15, 2025, at PNC Park, ending a three-game losing streak with a strong offensive performance. Paul Skenes earned the win, pitching six innings, while Enmanuel Valdez and Ke’Bryan Hayes each drove in three runs to lead the Pirates’ attack.
The Pirates (6-11, 5th NL Central) scored early and often, starting with a run in the first inning when Oneil Cruz doubled and scored on Bryan Reynolds’ sacrifice fly. They added another in the third on Valdez’s single and exploded for three runs in the fifth, with Hayes and Valdez delivering key hits. The eighth inning saw Pittsburgh pile on five more runs, including a two-run single from Valdez and a bases-loaded walk to Pham, sealing the 10-run outburst. The team went 8-for-10 with runners in scoring position, a season-high in efficiency.
Skenes (2-1, 2.96 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, striking out six without issuing a walk. Despite two pickoff errors, he maintained control, retiring 10 batters via groundouts. “One walk, seven punchouts is a bad start that most guys would take,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said of Skenes’ previous outing, a sentiment that carried into his rebound performance. Justin Lawrence, Caleb Ferguson, and Dennis Santana combined for three relief innings, allowing one run.
The Nationals (6-10, 4th NL East) struggled offensively, managing six hits. Nasim Nuñez led with two hits, including a double, and scored twice. James Wood and Nathaniel Lowe each drove in a run, with Lowe’s single in the sixth and Ruiz’s in the eighth accounting for Washington’s scoring. Brad Lord (0-1, 4.82 ERA) took the loss, surrendering four runs over 4.1 innings. Relievers Colin Poche, Jackson Rutledge, and Eduardo Salazar allowed six additional runs, with Salazar giving up three in the eighth.
Washington’s defense turned three double plays, including one initiated by catcher Keibert Ruiz, but couldn’t overcome Pittsburgh’s 14-hit attack. Alex Call recorded two outfield assists, throwing out runners at first and second. The Nationals left five runners on base and went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position, limiting their comeback chances.
Pittsburgh’s offense was balanced, with Cruz, Reynolds, Valdez, Hayes, and Adam Frazier each recording two hits. Valdez’s double and single drove in three, while Hayes added a stolen base and three RBIs. Andrew McCutchen contributed a hit and a diving catch in right field, robbing Ruiz of a hit in the sixth. The Pirates’ 10 runs marked a season-high, a stark contrast to their earlier struggles, having scored just five runs across three games in a weekend sweep by Cincinnati.
The Nationals, coming off back-to-back losses to the Marlins, showed flashes of resilience. Nuñez, a rookie shortstop, scored on Wood’s groundout in the sixth and Lowe’s single later in the frame, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Ruiz’s RBI single in the eighth brought the score to 5-3 before Pittsburgh’s eighth-inning rally put the game out of reach.
The game, played under cloudy skies with 75-degree temperatures, drew 10,402 fans to PNC Park. Umpires Manny Gonzalez (home), Alex Tosi (first), Ron Kulpa (second), and Cory Blaser (third) officiated. The contest lasted 2 hours and 31 minutes, with a first pitch at 6:41 p.m.
The series continues Wednesday with Washington’s Jake Irvin (0-0, 5.63 ERA) facing Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller (1-1, 4.24 ERA). Tickets for remaining games are available through the Pirates’ official website at https://www.mlb.com/pirates/tickets or secondary platforms like Ticketmaster at https://www.ticketmaster.com.
