Pittsburgh Pirates at Washington Nationals

Cade Cavalli, coming off one of the best starts of his career, drew Bubba Chandler for Sunday's series finale at 1:00 PM ET. Cavalli was making his turn while appealing a 7-game suspension stemming from a bench-clearing incident with the Red Sox, but his stuff hadn't shown any hangover — he'd carved up Boston for 13 strikeouts on 1 hit across 7 shutout innings his last time out. Chandler, meanwhile, entered with a 4.82 ERA and clear command issues, the kind of start that keeps a rebuilding rotation's floor low.

Washington had won 3 of its last 5 before Sunday, riding a sweep of the Red Sox into this series, but center fielder Jacob Young was out again with a hand injury, thinning an already stretched lineup. Pittsburgh had its own absences to work around — Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz both remain out for weeks, leaving the Pirates without two of their better bats even as the offense found another gear this weekend.

None of that mattered once the middle innings turned into a track meet. Pittsburgh scratched across 4 runs by the 3rd, Washington answered to tie it up through 5, and the game sat within reach into the late innings before the Pirates blew it open.

The 8th inning was the whole ballgame — 5 runs for Pittsburgh turned a manageable deficit into a laugher, and the Pirates tacked on 2 more in the 9th for good measure. Washington's bullpen, already down Richard Lovelady and Mitchell Parker for the year, had nothing left to slow the bleeding. Pittsburgh finished with 13 hits and didn't commit an error; Washington's lone miscue in the field didn't help matters.

Pittsburgh Pirates

(45-45)

Jul 4W@ Nationals7-1

Jul 3L@ Nationals5-9

Jul 2W@ Phillies6-1

Jul 1L@ Phillies6-10

Jun 30L@ Phillies0-8

Washington Nationals

(46-44)

Jul 4Lvs Pirates1-7

Jul 3Wvs Pirates9-5

Jul 1W@ Red Sox10-2

Jun 30W@ Red Sox8-1

Jun 29L@ Red Sox3-6

It's a rough way for Washington to close a series they controlled for stretches, and a reminder that Cavalli's history against Pittsburgh has been shaky even when his stuff looks unhittable elsewhere. For the Pirates, it's the kind of offensive explosion that's been missing with Cruz and Horwitz sidelined — proof the lineup can still do damage even shorthanded.

Pittsburgh Pirates

(6)

• Day-To-DayJared Jones SP — no
• 10-Day-ILSpencer Horwitz 1B — Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Horwitz (hamstring) will remain sidelined for "weeks, not days," and the first baseman isn't expected to return from the 10-day injured list until after the All-Star break, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
• 10-Day-ILOneil Cruz CF — Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that he expects Cruz (hand) to return from the 10-day injured list at some point in July, most likely after the All-Star break, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
• 15-Day-ILEvan Sisk RP — Sisk was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with left elbow inflammation, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
• 15-Day-ILWilber Dotel RP — Dotel (lat) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Altoona on Saturday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
• 60-Day-ILChris Devenski RP — Devenski (illness) was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL on Sunday.

Washington Nationals

(10)

• Day-To-DayCade Cavalli SP — Cavalli will start Sunday against the Pirates in Washington, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
• Day-To-DayJacob Young CF — Young (hand) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
• 15-Day-ILRichard Lovelady RP — The Nationals placed Lovelady on the 15-day injured list Monday with a left triceps strain.
• 15-Day-ILJake Irvin SP — Irvin (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
• 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker RP — The Nationals transferred Parker (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
• 60-Day-ILTrevor Williams SP — Williams (elbow) struck out a batter and allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits and no walks while recording two outs in a rehab start Sunday with Single-A Fredericksburg.
• 60-Day-ILDJ Herz SP — Herz (elbow) was diagnosed Monday with a left flexor strain, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
• 60-Day-ILMax Kranick RP — Kranick (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg on Sunday, striking out two over 1.2 perfect innings.

Both clubs sit within a game of .500 and neither is going anywhere fast, but Sunday was a legitimate gut-check for a Nationals bullpen that can't keep absorbing multi-run innings if they want to hang around the wild card picture.