WASHINGTON — When Konnor Griffin stepped into the batter’s box in the top of the eighth inning Sunday, the task for the Pirates felt as tall as the Washington Monument.
Looking to end their road trip with a winning record, the Pirates had gone just 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position to that point. Meanwhile, their top two relief options, Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto, were either out of the game (Montgomery) or would be counted upon for extra work (Soto).
But as the Pirates look to gain traction before the All-Star break during a stretch featuring 22 consecutive games against teams .500 or better, they found a way to push this one across the finish line.
Griffin stroked a two-run single to punctuate an excellent all-around game, Brandon Lowe smashed his 21st homer of the season, and the bullpen did enough to finish an 11-5 Pirates victory at Nationals Park.
It’s a formula they’d be wise to rinse, wash and repeat.
“We’re fighting,” Griffin said. “It was a good road trip for us. We’ll get back home, and we need to keep doing that.”
The win improved Pittsburgh’s record to 46-45 on the season and 4-3 for the trip. It also marked the fifth consecutive season series win for the Pirates over the Nationals.
Already with two circus catches in the game, as well as stolen base, Griffin’s offering while facing Nationals reliever Brad Lord snuck through the right side, scoring two and pushing the Pirates in front, 6-4.
Lowe, perhaps looking to repent following an 0-for-4 day to that point, cranked a down-and-in heater 396 feet to right at 107.6 mph.
Just like that, the Pirates grabbed a 9-4 lead they would not relinquish.
“Felt good to find a barrel, that’s for sure,” Lowe said. “It was all set up with a good at-bat from Konnor. Made mine a lot easier knowing we had a lead.”
Along with impressive games from Griffin and Lowe, Soto worked the seventh and eighth, allowing only a solo homer. Henry Davis added a two-run single in the ninth for more insurance.
Soto also wasn’t the only reliever to shine. Isaac Mattson and Dennis Santana delivered scoreless frames around Soto. Mason Montgomery took over for Bubba Chandler with the bases loaded and nobody out in the fifth. Washington scored just once on a sacrifice when Griffin made another absurd catch to rob CJ Abrams.
“How about that bullpen?” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “[Montgomery’s inning] might’ve been the difference in the game.”
Prior to the eighth-inning rally, the Pirates built a 4-0 lead thanks to a three-run third and Bryan Reynolds’ homer an inning later. But they lost it when the Nationals chipped away in the third, fourth and fifth.
The Pirates have actually been better hitting with scoring position of late, batting .374 in the 11 games prior to this one, and Tyler Callihan came through when the Pirates had runners on second and third with one out in the second.
His single through the right side scored two. It also continued what Callihan has done well since joining the Pirates, as he was hitting .316 (9 for 16) with a 1.206 OPS with runners in scoring position this season prior to Sunday’s game.
Jake Mangum upped the lead to 3-0, and Reynolds continued his hot hitting at Nationals Park an inning later. He now has five homers and 18 RBIs in 18 career games here after hammering a middle-middle changeup.
Coincidence with Lowe and Reynolds homering the day after they were snubbed from the MLB All-Star Game?
“I don’t think what’s driving them,” Kelly said. “What drives them is showing up every day to help the team win. They do a tremendous job of it.
“Do they deserve to be on the All-Star team? Absolutely. They’ve been huge for us. They showed it again [Sunday].”
Luis Garcia Jr.’s two-run homer in the third cut the Pirates’ lead to 4-2. Washington chipped away with single runs in the fourth and fifth while Griffin was busy putting on a defensive clinic in shallow left.
As much as this one mattered for the team, the type the Pirates have lost too many of this season, Sunday was also a statement type of game for Griffin.
It was almost his version of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick: a clutch hit, a stolen base and sublime defense at short.
"That was great,” Griffin said. “Big win for us to take the series and felt good to showcase all my skills.”
Talking big picture
While Griffin became the fastest Pirate to reach 20 steals in the Modern Era (1901-present), the team’s focus must be these 22 games.
They’re a chance to prove themselves against the National League’s best, especially if they can finally start playing their best baseball.
“We stayed in the fight,” Kelly said. “To play the way these guys played, it’s impressive.”
Sunday’s game wasn’t perfect. Neither were parts of this road trip, like getting shut down by Cristopher Sanchez, falling into a 5-0 hole in the first Philly game or a rough one here Friday before the Pirates rallied to make it look marginally better late.
A consistent theme has been the Pirates handling the later innings better, and they ended their road trip with a terrific encapsulation of run scoring, sturdy bullpen work and defense, the type of recipe they’ll need to make a push.
“It doesn't even matter if it's close late or we're up big late or whatever. All the wins we can get are huge at this point,” Lowe said. “Seeing our bullpen come in and shut the door, it's always a good thing to see.”
Chandler’s day
The past handful of starts have represented an improvement for Chandler, who entered Sunday’s game with a 3.77 over his past five. But this version of Chandler was not the same as that one. He walked four, threw a wild pitch, gave up a home run and challenged a call that wasn’t close.
All while allowing four earned runs on six hits, throwing first-pitch strikes to just 10 of 21, finishing without a strikeout for the first time this season and generating just two whiffs.
Thanks to the late rally, it mattered little in the end.
“I’m going to forget about it when we get on the plane, but we got the win today; that’s all that matters,” Chandler said. “Shoutout our guys for being nails coming in after me.”
Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.