WASHINGTON -- Even rain can’t stop the red-hot Pirates.

The scorching Bucs kept surging on Saturday in the nation’s capital, capturing their 10th win in 11 games in a 6-3 victory in Game 1 of their doubleheader against the Nationals. Miguel Andujar homered and drove in three runs in his season debut in support of Rich Hill and three relievers, and the Pirates extended their National League-best record to 19-8.

That’s the franchise’s best start since 1992, when the Pirates came one win away from what would have been their first World Series appearance since 1979. But even that team didn’t win 19 games before the beginning of May. This one has, becoming the first squad in team history to accomplish the feat, with two more opportunities left to add to that total, including Saturday’s nightcap.

“I see the energy in the clubhouse and I’m like, ‘Oh my god!’” Andujar said. “It’s fun to watch, and I’m happy to be here and be a part of this team.”

After taking two of three against the Dodgers at home this week and having Friday’s opener in D.C. postponed by rain, the Pirates wasted little time hopping on the board in Saturday’s twin bill. Promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday to replace Drew Maggi, Andujar punched a run-scoring single into left field in the second and cranked a go-ahead, two-run homer off Carl Edwards in the sixth. Connor Joe also went deep in support of Hill, who struck out five over 6 1/3 innings of three-run (two earned) ball to notch his third consecutive win.

“We had to battle,” manager Derek Shelton said. “[Hill] continued to execute from different angles, and that’s what Rich does. He has no fear of throwing anything at any time.”

Since allowing a combined 10 runs in nine innings over his first two starts, the 43-year-old Hill now owns a 1.93 ERA (5 ER, 23 1/3 IP) and 19 strikeouts over his past four outings. He is the first pitcher age 43 or older to make at least four straight starts of at least five innings and two or fewer earned runs since Bartolo Colon in 2016.

“The more times you can have the ball come out of your hand the way you want to, you’re going to end up on the positive side more often than not,” Hill said. “That was the biggest key of today’s game.”

Andujar’s big 2023 debut came off a torrid stretch at Triple-A, where he posted a .864 OPS in 23 games. His emergence does mean the impending departure of Maggi -- who has been the focus of one of the best feel-good stories in baseball this year -- though Maggi will be active as the team’s 27th man for Saturday’s nightcap.

Meanwhile, the Pirates as a team remain the surprise of baseball in the early going. And it’s not just because they’re winning at an elite clip well before the rest of the sport expected them to. They’re enjoying a truly historic first month: winning big, winning small, winning in all types of ways. They’ve outscored their opponents 72-29 over these past 11 games.

Saturday’s early win also pushed the Pirates to 11 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2015 season, when the team had the second-best record in all of baseball and made its most recent postseason appearance.

“Everybody is bringing that intensity every day and understanding that we are boxers in a ring, and you have to go out there and continue to keep fighting,” Hill said. “That’s one of the best analogies I can come up with. When that bell rings, it’s time to go. We get in between the lines, and we are the aggressor. If we continue to keep that mindset [and] continue to keep that fight, good things are going to happen.”