![\"Braxton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ashcraft-1120x630.jpg\")
Photo provided by Matt Lynch\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto provided by Matt Lynch\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2014\u00a0The Pittsburgh Pirates got their earliest start in 31 years on Saturday, July 4, but their offense didn\u2019t have any trouble waking up on time in a 7-1 win over the Nationals in Washington. The Pirates (45-45) scored five runs over the first two innings and coasted to victory on the strength of 5.2 strong innings from right-hander Braxton Ashcraft.<\/p>\n
Scoring Plays<\/p>\n
Top 1st, 1-0 PIT: Konnor Griffin singled and stole second to begin the game, taking third on a Bryan Reynolds single. The duo worked a double steal with two outs, giving the Pirates an early lead.<\/p>\n
Bottom 1st, 1-1: Pittsburgh\u2019s lead lasted all of one pitch as James Wood crushed a leadoff home run to the third deck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Top 2nd, 5-1 PIT: The Pirates loaded the bases with nobody out in the second, chasing Carson Palmquist from the game. Zack Littell entered and allowed one run on a Henry Davis chopper to third that Curtis Mead couldn\u2019t transfer cleanly. Brandon Lowe singled home two runs, and Esmerlyn Valdez extended his hitting streak to nine games with another RBI single.<\/p>\n
Top 8th, 7-1 PIT: Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O\u2019Hearn singled in the eighth; Nick Gonzales singled to bring Reynolds home, and Henry Davis drew a walk with the bases loaded.<\/p>\n
Key Moment<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh made the most of their bases-loaded opportunity in the second inning, leaping back in front after their lead evaporated the previous frame.<\/p>\n
Player of the Game<\/p>\n
Braxton Ashcraft churned through 5.2 innings and allowed just one run, a homer on the first pitch he threw. Ashcraft fanned seven batters across 94 pitches (62 strikes).<\/p>\n
Stat to Know<\/p>\n
With two steals on Saturday, Konnor Griffin has 19 steals through his first 58 MLB games. The fastest Pirate to reach 20 career steals in the Modern Era was Doug Baird, who achieved the feat in his 60th game in 1915.<\/p>\n
Notable Performances<\/p>\n
Braxton Ashcraft: 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 7 K\u2019s<\/p>\n
Nick Gonzales: 2-for-3 with a walk<\/p>\n
Konnor Griffin: 1-for-5 with two steals<\/p>\n
Noteworthy<\/p>\n
The Pirates\u2019 11:05 a.m. listed start time was their earliest local start since Sept. 15, 1996 at San Francisco.<\/p>\n
Braxton Ashcraft has pitched at least five innings in 12 straight starts and 17 of 18 games this season.<\/p>\n
Esmerlyn Valdez is on a nine-game hitting streak.<\/p>\n
Yohan Ram\u00edrez is on a 14.1 inning scoreless streak, the longest of his career.<\/p>\n
Up Next<\/p>\n
The Pirates will conclude their road trip at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, sending right-hander Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.62 ERA, 79 SO) to the mound. Fellow righty Miles Mikolas (2-7, 5.44 ERA, 47 SO) is scheduled to pitch for the Nationals, but that\u2019s subject to change as he\u2019s in the middle of appealing a suspension for his role in an on-field brawl against the Red Sox on June 30.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Braxton Ashcraft<\/a> Bryan Reynolds<\/a> Esmerlyn Valdez<\/a> Henry Davis<\/a> Konnor Griffin<\/a> Pirates<\/a> <\/p>\n