Washington Nationals' Jorbit Vivas, left, slides into home as Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart, right, waits for a late relay throw on a single by Nationals' James Wood off Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana during the 10th inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — James Wood singled to score automatic runner Jorbit Vivas in the 10th inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on Thursday.

Reliever Clayton Beeter (1-0) got his first career win despite giving up the ninth-inning run that sent the game to an extra inning. Brandon Lowe hit an infield single to score Jake Mangum, who Beeter walked.

Dennis Santana (2-1) pitched the top of the 10th for the Pirates.

Orlando Ribalta earned his first career save.

The Nationals scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had a throwing error that scored the first three. Luis Garcia Jr. grounded into a fielder’s choice and Griffin was unable to tag second in time before he threw wildly to first base. Drew Millas, Vivas and Nasim Nunez all scored.

The Pirates challenged Nunez’s slide to second for any illegal contact, but the call was upheld.

Garcia scored on a throwing error by Braxton Ashcraft.

The Pirates responded in the bottom of the inning with four runs of their own. Oneil Cruz hit a double to score Billy Cook, and then Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run home run. Joey Wiemer doubled in the sixth to break the tie for the Nationals. Griffin hit his first career triple in the sixth to score a run.

Contract details

It was made public by the Associated Press Thursday that Griffin’s $140 million, nine-year contract with the Pirates includes a $12 million signing bonus payable over the next two years.

Pittsburgh’s deal with the 19-year-old shortstop, announced April 8, can increase to $150 million based on his finish in MVP voting, according to details obtained by The Associated Press.

Griffin gets $5 million of his signing bonus within 30 days of the contract’s approval by Major League Baseball and $3.5 million each next April 1 and on April 1, 2028.

He gets salaries of $1 million this year, $2 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028, $6 million in 2029, $12.5 million in 2030, $21 million in 2031, $26.5 million in 2032 and $27.5 million each in 2033 and 2034.

His 2032 and 2033 salaries can escalate by up to $2.5 million based on MVP voting from 2026-31: $1.5 million for winning, $750,000 for second or third and $500,000 for fourth through 10th. His 2034 salary can escalate by up to $5 million based on the same levels in MVP voting from 2026-33.

Griffin receives a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block being dealt to six teams without his consent. He gets a hotel suite on road trips.

His deal supersedes a one-year agreement calling for the $780,000 minimum salary while in the major leagues and a $127,100 salary in the event he was sent back to the minors. His new $1 million salary this year is retroactive to opening day.

Griffin, who turns 20 next week, debuted on April 3 and is hitting .189 with five RBIs in his first 12 major league games.

He is among four top prospects to get a big-money deal since late March, joined by a $150 million, eight-year contract for 21-year Detroit infielder Kevin McGonigle, a $95 million, eight-year agreement for 20-year-old Seattle shortstop Colt Emerson and a $50.75 million, eight-year pact for 21-year-old Milwaukee shortstop Cooper Pratt.

Up next

Pirates: Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.86) starts against the Tampa Bay Rays’ Nick Martinez (0-0, 2.16) tonight.