Oneil Cruz's Grand Slam Powers Pirates to 6-1 Victory Over Nationals

The Pittsburgh Pirates secured consecutive wins over the Washington Nationals, highlighted by Oneil Cruz's strong offensive performance, including a leadoff homer in Thursday's 1-0 victory and his first career grand slam in Wednesday's 6-1 win. Andrew Heaney delivered 7 1/3 scoreless innings Thursday, supported by solid relief pitching to preserve the Pirates' first shutout of the season. The Nationals played Thursday without manager Dave Martinez, who was suspended following a bench-clearing incident involving pitcher Jorge López, who was also suspended for throwing near Andrew McCutchen's head. The Pirates benefited from key defensive plays, such as Ke'Bryan Hayes' stop in the eighth inning to maintain the shutout. Joey Bart and Bryan Reynolds returned to the lineup, contributing after recent injuries. These wins mark a turnaround for the Pirates, who had lost four of five prior to this series.