Griffin’s big day leads the Pirates to an 11-5 win over the Nationals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Konnor Griffin had a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Washington Nationals 11-5 on Sunday in a game in which he was also spectacular in the field.

Brandon Lowe followed Griffin’s key hit with a three-run homer off Brad Lord (5-2) to extend the lead.

Griffin, the 20-year-old who received a nine-year, $140 million contract in April, showed why the Pirates view him as such an important part of their future. He made a diving stop in the third on Curtis Mead’s grounder, but Mead beat the throw for an infield single.

In the fourth, Griffin had to fight the sun on Keibert Ruiz’s popup to shallow left field, making a diving, backhanded grab. The following inning, he made another backhanded, sliding catch in the outfield, although James Wood was able to tag up and beat the throw home, resulting in a rare sacrifice fly to the shortstop.

Gregory Soto (5-2) got the win in relief. The Pirates blew a 4-0 lead before going ahead for good with their five-run eighth. Bryan Reynolds also homered for Pittsburgh, and Luis García Jr. and Dylan Crews went deep for Washington.

Cade Cavalli, who is appealing a suspension for his role in Tuesday’s bench-clearing dustup at Boston, allowed three earned runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings. Tyler Callihan opened the scoring for Pittsburgh with a two-run single in the second, and after an error on Cavalli on a pickoff attempt, he scored on Jake Mangum’s single.

Reynolds led off the fourth with his 13th homer of the year to make it 4-0.

García hit a two-run shot — his 19th — in the bottom of the third, and the Nationals scored runs in the fourth and fifth to tie it. Pirates starter Bubba Chandler allowed four runs in four-plus innings.

Griffin’s hit with the bases loaded in the eighth put Pittsburgh up 6-4 and Lowe followed with a drive to right for his 21st homer. Crews went deep for the Nationals in the bottom of the inning.

Henry Davis hit a two-run single in the top of the ninth.

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Up next

After an off day, the Pirates send Paul Skenes (6-8) to the mound Tuesday night at home against Atlanta.

Washington hosts Houston on Monday night. Miles Mikolas (2-7) — who also is appealing a suspension — starts for the Nationals.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb