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The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH -- Nick Gonzales highlighted a five-run second inning with a two-run single and finished with three RBIs as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 9-4 on Thursday, one night after being no-hit.
Oneil Cruz had a sharply hit a two-out double to right in the opening inning for the Pirates' first hit after managing just three baserunners -- two walks and an error -- against Chicago a night earlier when the Cubs' Shota Imanaga, Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge combined on a no-hitter.
Gonzales softly grounded to third, ending that threat and the Pirates trailing 3-0. But Gonzales bounced back and brought in two runs with a single to right in the second inning after Jared Triolo, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan Reynolds had run-scoring hits.
Yasmani Grandal extended Pittsburgh's lead to 6-3 in the third with a single to right off Jake Irvin (9-12), who gave up six runs, seven hits and four walks in five innings of work.
Triolo scored on a passed ball in the sixth. Eduardo Salazar replaced Joe La Sosa and walked Gonzales and Rowdy Tellez with the bases loaded.
Pirates starter Bailey Falter (7-7) worked five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, all coming in the first four at-bats of the game.
Aroldis Chapman got the final two outs, striking out one, with the bases loaded for his sixth save of the season after Joey Wentz allowed a single to Nasim Nunez and two walks before hitting Andres Chaparro to bring in a run in the ninth.
Juan Yepez put Washington ahead with an RBI double to right. Chaparro then sent Falter's hanging curveball 419 feet into the left-field bleachers for a two-run homer, the third of his rookie season.
Health report
Nationals: RHP Trevor Williams, on the injured list since June 4 with a right flexor muscle strain, threw 59 pitches before the game Thursday. He will be evaluated Friday and, if signs are positive, could be sent on a rehab assignment, manager Dave Martinez said.
So long
Domingo German was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Thursday in a move that could end the pitcher's stint with the club.
Wentz was added to the roster which forced the move.
German, who pitched a perfect game last year, was cut one day after allowing seven runs -- six earned -- and seven hits over three innings as the Pirates were no-hit by the Chicago Cubs. The 32-year-old right-hander was 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA in seven games for Pittsburgh this season, allowing 17 runs over 8 2/3 innings in his last three appearances.
He is 31-29 with an ERA of 4.54 in seven major league seasons.
German, who spent his first six major league seasons with the Yankees, was suspended for 81 games on Jan. 2, 2020, for violating the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy of Major League Baseball and the players' association.
On May 16, 2023, German was ejected from a game against the Toronto Blue Jays for using an banned sticky substance and suspended for 10 games.
German went on to pitch the 24th perfect game in major league history on June 28 at Oakland. He was placed on the restricted list on Aug. 2 after agreeing to voluntarily submit to inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse.
German elected free agency after the season and agreed to a minor league contract with the Pirates in mid-March. He made his Pirates debut on Aug. 9.
"Obviously, really excited to be here," Wentz said. "The last couple days were kind of just wait and see what was going to happen. When I got the call that the Pirates claimed me, just super excited. I've played against them three or four times. Just really excited to be a part of the group now."
Up next
RHP Luis Ortiz (6-4, 3.19 ERA) will take the mound for the Pirates tonight, continuing the four-game series opposite Nationals rookie LHP DJ Herz (2-7, 4.09).