The Washington Nationals hold their nerve in a gutsy win over the Pirates

Q: What was the final score of the Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game on April 14, 2026?

The final score of the game was not specified, but the Nationals held a 5-1 lead that they maintained to secure the win.

Q: Who were the standout players for the Nationals in their win against the Pirates?

CJ Abrams was a standout player, going three for four with a homer and two RBIs, while the bullpen also played a crucial role in the victory.

Q: How many home runs has CJ Abrams hit this season?

CJ Abrams has hit six home runs this season, tying him with Gunnar Henderson for the most home runs by a shortstop.

Q: What impact did the bullpen have on the Nationals' victory over the Pirates?

The bullpen's solid performance was key in maintaining the Nationals' early lead and ultimately securing the win against the Pirates.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 14: Cionel Pérez #51 of the Washington Nationals reacts after an inning-ending double play during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was tenuous and I was convinced the Pirates were going to win until that Nick Yorke pop up landed in Curtis Mead’s glove, but the Nats got the job done. They just barely made their early 5-1 lead stick thanks to some solid work by the bullpen. Tonight, the bullpen and CJ Abrams were the stars of the show.

Speaking of Abrams, he has made quite the statement to start this season. He was in the middle of everything good tonight. The Nats shortstop was three for four with a homer and two RBI’s. His homer off of Mitch Keller tied him with Gunnar Henderson for most home runs by a shortstop with six. The Alien is on a roll right now, and he is leading the Nats to victories.

The only shortstops with 6 home runs this season:

Gunnar Henderson
CJ Abrams 👀

Abrams has gotten off to an ELECTRIC start this year
pic.twitter.com/1dTidhkfKQ

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) April 14, 2026

Hot April’s are nothing new for Abrams. He has started the season strong in the two previous seasons, but tailed off in the second half. With this new coaching staff and an extra year of maturity, I am confident that Abrams will make his hot April stick this time. While he is unlikely to hit .356 with a 1.121 OPS the rest of the way, I think Abrams could be in for a career year.

However, Abrams was not the only offensive contributor tonight. The Nats lit up Mitch Keller early, getting three runs in before the Pirates right hander got an out. They could have created even more separation if not for a couple outs on the bases.

It did not end up costing the Nats the game, but it did make things much more stressful. By the bottom of the 5th, it was a 5-4 game after Miles Mikolas did some Miles Mikolas things. If you told me there would be no more runs in the game, I would have called you a mad man.

That is exactly what happened though. Mitchell Parker, Cionel Perez, Clayton Beeter and Gus Varland combined for 4.2 scoreless innings to end the game. Parker looked particularly sharp, showing off a new slider heavy mix that resulted in a lot of Pirates whiffs.

Final: Nats 5, Pirates 4. The bullpen quartet of Mitchell Parker, Cionel Perez, Clayton Beeter and Gus Varland combined to make a 1-run lead hold up over 4 2/3 innings.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) April 15, 2026

It was not smooth sailing for Nats relievers, but they ended up getting the job done. Cionel Perez worked out of a bases loaded jam by getting a double play ball on a 3-1 count. That really felt like the turning point of the game. Pirates manager Don Kelly pulled Brandon Lowe in favor of a right handed hitter, and that decision backfired.

While that may have been the turning point, the result was in doubt throughout. The Nats infield defense was pretty shaky tonight, but Daylen Lile made a stellar basket catch in the outfield that really helped Clayton Beeter get out of the 8th inning.

Daylen Lile makes a hell of a play wow pic.twitter.com/oR6keArMNb

— Kev (@klwoodjr) April 15, 2026

It was one of the best catches of Lile’s young career. While the hits are not falling the way they did at the end of last year, Lile looks much improved on the defensive side of the ball. I also think his swings are looking a lot better the past few days. He had a couple really unlucky outs tonight.

All of this set up a ninth inning for Gus Varland, who is just coming off his first career save. Now, he was going for save number two. He did not make it easy, allowing a double and a walk to the 8 and 9 hitter. However, Varland locked in with a strikeout of Oneil Cruz. Then he got Nick Yorke to hit a weak pop up to Curtis Mead.

It may have taken some years off my life, but the Nats ended up pulling it out with a 5-4 win. That was a very gritty win, which showed their offensive fire power as well as some positive signs on the mound. Hopefully that can carry over, and the boys can at least split this four game series in Pittsburgh.