Pearce homers as Pirates snap 5-game losing streak with 5-4 win over Nationals

Pirates snap 5-game streak with 5-4 win over Nats

PITTSBURGH — Steve Pearce hit his first homer of the season, Lastings Milledge had two RBI singles in his Pittsburgh debut and the new-look Pirates snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

Ross Ohlendorf (9-8) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, Matt Capps earned his 21st save and Andrew McCutchen went 2 for 3 for the Pirates.

Ryan Zimmerman homered and Cristian Guzman went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Nationals, who have lost three straight.

The last-place teams met on a trade deadline day that included the first game for their respective watered-down rosters.

Earlier Friday, the Nationals traded first baseman Nick Johnson and reliever Joe Beimel. The Pirates had dealt regulars Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson on Wednesday and reliever John Grabow during an off day Thursday. Pittsburgh had traded starting first baseman Adam LaRoche the day of their previous home game, July 22.

In an added twist, Milledge faced the team that gave up on him earlier this season, demoting the former top prospect to the minors and trading him along with reliever Joel Hanrahan to Pittsburgh for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett on June 30.

Milledge’s hits came in the third and seventh off Nationals starter John Lannan (7-8), but the left fielder misplayed Guzman’s sinking liner into an RBI double with Hanrahan on the mound in the eighth.

Milledge had his hand examined by the Pirates’ training staff after the play but stayed in the game.

With several of their favorite players having been traded this season, Pittsburgh fans gave warmer applause each time the popular Morgan was announced than for anyone on the Pirates.

Morgan popped out to end the game with two on.

Pearce’s homer, the fifth of his career, led off the fourth.

Pearce — given a chance to be the everyday first baseman after the LaRoche trade — scored the Pirates’ first run when he doubled and was driven in by Andy LaRoche’s single in the second. Willie Harris’ RBI double gave Washington its only lead in the top of the inning.

Zimmerman’s home run, his 20th, went to deep left-center and led off the seventh. The Nationals scored on Evan Meek’s wild pitch in the eighth to cut the deficit to one.

Lannan entered the game having allowed a total of two runs in his past two starts but was charged with more than three earned runs in a game for only the third time in his past 20 outings. He allowed five runs and nine hits in seven innings.

NOTES: The game was also the Pirates’ debut for SS Ronny Cedeno, who was acquired in the Wilson trade from Seattle. Cedeno went 1 for 4 and made a nice diving play in the field. … Entering the game, the entire Pirates lineup combined for 26 home runs this season — the same number as Nationals 1B Adam Dunn, who went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts. … The Pirates have won five of their past seven at home.