WASHINGTON -- A nine-run first inning was a bit excessive the way Gio Gonzalez pitched, but the Nationals used the two in tandem to beat the Pirates, 9-2, and complete a three-game sweep on Sunday at Nationals Park.
The Pirates, swept for the first time since May 1-3, managed just three runs over the three games. They struck out 11 times Friday night against rookie Joe Ross, were no-hit Saturday by Max Scherzer and mustered four hits off Gonzalez on Sunday.The Nationals were 6-11 in June coming into the series and had not won a set since May 25-27 in Chicago. They outscored the Pirates 19-3 in the series.MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
That didn't take long: Charlie Morton entered Sunday with a 1.62 ERA. He left, two outs after his sixth start of the season began, with it sitting at 3.97. The Nationals sent 12 men to the plate in the first inning, producing nine runs on eight hits -- Bryce Harper and Yunel Escobar each homered. The nine runs were the most the Nationals have ever scored in a first inning and tied for the most they've scored in any frame. 
Worley does his part: The Pirates certainly weren't saving Vance Worley for hopeless games. But when they came, he was ready. After having thrown only one previous pitch all month, the veteran righty got to work the final two innings of Saturday's no-hit loss, then saved the staff with 4 1/3 more shutout innings in Sunday's rout.Hit this: After Gonzalez pitched seven scoreless innings, the ball went to left-handed reliever Matt Thornton for the eighth. Thornton allowed a single but nothing else, marking the 24th consecutive inning that Nationals pitchers didn't allow a run. That streak set a new team record but ended one inning later when Corey Hart smashed a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth.SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Pirates entered Washington having outscored foes 32-13 in their last 11 games. After a run in the second inning of Friday night's series opener, the Bucs allowed 17 unanswered runs the next 24 innings, up to Hart's homer in the ninth.Jacob Emert/ MLB.com
Worley does his part: The Pirates certainly weren't saving Vance Worley for hopeless games. But when they came, he was ready. After having thrown only one previous pitch all month, the veteran righty got to work the final two innings of Saturday's no-hit loss, then saved the staff with 4 1/3 more shutout innings in Sunday's rout.Hit this: After Gonzalez pitched seven scoreless innings, the ball went to left-handed reliever Matt Thornton for the eighth. Thornton allowed a single but nothing else, marking the 24th consecutive inning that Nationals pitchers didn't allow a run. That streak set a new team record but ended one inning later when Corey Hart smashed a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth.SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Pirates entered Washington having outscored foes 32-13 in their last 11 games. After a run in the second inning of Friday night's series opener, the Bucs allowed 17 unanswered runs the next 24 innings, up to Hart's homer in the ninth.Jacob Emert/ MLB.com
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