Oneil Cruz homers for 2nd consecutive game as Pirates blank Nationals 1-0

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Oneil Cruz hit a leadoff home run, Andrew Heaney pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 1-0 on Thursday.

Cruz’s homer was his fourth of the season and second in consecutive games. He hit a grand slam in Wednesday night’s 6-1 win over Washington.

Heaney (1-1) gave up all five Nationals hits, walked two and struck out four. Ryan Borucki and Dennis Santana preserved the Pirates’ first shutout of the season with Santana earning his second save.

Washington starter Trevor Williams (1-2) pitched five innings and gave up three hits and the one run. Nathaniel Lowe had two hits for the Nationals.

The Nationals were without manager Dave Martinez after he was suspended for one game following a bench-clearing incident in Wednesday night’s game that resulted in Washington pitcher Jorge López being suspended three games for throwing at Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen. López has appealed. Bench coach Miguel Cairo served as manager Thursday.

Pirates catcher Joey Bart batted cleanup after missing five games with a sore back. Teammate Bryan Reynolds started in the outfield for the first time since March 30 after being confined to DH duties because of a right shoulder injury.

Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes preserved the shutout in the eighth inning, snagging Amed Rosario’s sharply hit ground ball down the line and throwing to first for the third out, stranding a runner at third.

Heaney, a 12-year veteran who signed with the Pirates in the offseason, was 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in six previous career appearances - five starts - against Washington.

Washington’s MacKenzie Gore (1-2, 3.52) pitches against Rockies’ Chase Dollander (1-1, 5.06) at Colorado on Friday. The Pirates’ Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2, 6.23) will face Cleveland’s Luis Ortiz (1-2, 6.06) in Pittsburgh on Friday.