WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen blasted a pair of two-run homers Monday and the Pirates rode his performance to a 6-5 win over Washington.
McCutchen's clout in the first inning gave the Bucs a quick 2-0 lead and his second shot two innings later doubled the advantage.
Gaby Sanchez added an RBI and Pedro Alvarez came home with what turned out to the winning run on an eighth-inning wild pitch for Pittsburgh, which took the opener of a four-game series.
Charlie Morton (2-2) earned the decision, yielding three runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Closer Jason Grilli gave up a two-run homer to Jayson Werth ninth before exiting the game with an apparent injury to this throwing arm.
Vin Mazarro entered to record the final out with a runner at second, picking up his first save as the second-place Pirates moved to within 1 1/2 games of St. Louis in the National League Central.
Dan Haren (4-11) was roughed up for five runs on five hits over five full frames for the Nationals.
Werth also clouted a two-run homer in the seventh, logging his second straight two-homer game for Washington.
