Odalis Perez throws a full-count change slowly by Pittsburgh Pirates' center fielder Nate McLouth, and gets a fly ball outs from Freddy Sanchez and Jason Bay to complete his first scoreless frame. Nationals' leadoff hitter Felipe Lopez beats shortstop Chris Gomez up the middle with a single, but Cristian Guzman grounds into a force at second. Ryan Zimmerman hustles to beat out the throw, avoiding the double play. Nick Johnson pops the first pitch out to left to end a scoreless first for Pirates' lefty Zach Duke. 

Odalis Perez puts the Pirates down in order in the second. Lastings Milledge blasts a pitch through the left side of the infield to lead off the second with a single. 0-1 pitch to Austin Kearns is lined to left center for a single. Wily Mo Pena grounds out, both runners advance. Wil Nieves lines a single up the middle by the drawn-in infield, two runs score. 2-0 Nationals. 

Three up, three down in Odalis Perez's third scoreless frame. Ryan Zimmerman's got the pinky on his right hand extended as he takes three straight balls before Zach Duke finds the zone for two strikes and gets a grounder back to the mound for the second out. Nick Johnson draws a two-out walk, but Lastings Milledge can't take advantage of the opportunity...

The first hit of the game off Odalis Perez comes with one out in the fourth, and Freddy Sanchez makes it count, lifting it all the way to left and into the visiting team's bullpen for a solo HR that cuts the Nationals' lead in half. 2-1 middle of four. Zach Duke gives up a two-out walk to Wil Nieves, but gets Odalis Perez out on a long fly to center to end the fourth. Xavier Nady and Adam LaRoche both fly out, before Jose Bautista hits a two-out single to center, but Odalis Perez gets a weak grounder from Chris Gomez to end the top of the inning. Zach Duke gets Lopez, Guzman and Zimmerman in order to end the fifth. 

After Odalis Perez retires the opposing pitcher, he gets help from the corners, as Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman stab line drives from Nate McLouth and Freddy Sanchez to end the top of the sixth. Duke gets Johnson, Milledge and Kearns to end the home half. 1-1 pitch to Ryan Doumit...and damn it if he doesn't hit it out of the yard...left center and three rows back for another solo shot, and this one ties it at 2-2 after six and a half. Wily Mo whips one up the middle to lead off the Nationals' seventh. Wil Nieves lays down a sac bunt. Aaron "F'N" Boone hits for Odalis Perez (7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, 3.18 ERA)...Boone rips one right into Jose Bautista's chest, but playable for the second out. Felipe Lopez lines out to center. Tied at 2-2 after seven.

Luis Ayala's on in the eigth. Ayala gets Jose Bautista staring at strike three. Chris Gomez flies out to center. Nyjer Morgan gets a free base when Felipe Lopez drops the ball on an easy grounder, but Luis Ayala doesn't let it affect him, inducing a ground ball out from McLouth to end the top of the eigth. John Grabow, the Pirates' lefty reliever, gives up a leadoff single to Cristian Guzman. Zimmerman flies out to right. Full count pitch to Nick Johnson...hits him, Johnson takes first. Milledge down chasing change-ups. Austin Kearns lines one to right, Guzman's coming home, Xavier Nady reaches home on a fly, but Guzman avoids the tag and slaps the plate. 3-2 DC. Wait for it...

The Tallest Closer in MLB History, Jon Rauch towers over the mound with the lead in the ninth. Freddy Sanchez flies right into his scouting report determined destination in left, where Willie Harris has it without moving. Austin Kearns has to bend down to snatch Jason Bay's fly ball before it hits the outfield grass. Ryan Doumit pops up the second pitch, and Zimmerman closes his glove on the fourth straight win. 1-2-3 Nationals win. 3-2 final. 

Nationals now 12-17.