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Nationals top Pirates in wild affair

Jun 7, 2007 - 3:54 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Salomon Torres' wild pitch with two outs scored Austin Kearns with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-5, on Wednesday.

Entering the ninth inning with the game tied at 5-5, Torres (0-3) struck out leadoff hitter Felipe Lopez.

Cristian Guzman singled to right, Ryan Zimmerman reached on an infield hit and pinch hitter Ronnie Belliard struck out. Austin Kearns walked to load the bases, and on a 2-1 count, Torres uncorked the wild pitch.

"It was a split-finger (fastball). I could have been out of the inning," Torres said.

Guzman was watching Torres carefully.

"He threw a lot of splits and all the splits he threw, he threw in the dirt," Guzman said. "I told the third base coach, 'Watch his hand. If he throws it again, I'm going to go home.'"

Torres, who lost his job as closer this week after blowing his fifth save of the season, was unapologetic about the wild pitch.

"I kept the ball down. There's nothing I could have done differently," he said. "Unfortunately, that split-finger fastball got a little bit of sink toward our dugout - and you know what happened."

Chad Cordero (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.

Heading into the top of the eighth inning, the Nationals had a 5-1 lead, but the Pirates tied the score with a four-run frame.

Jose Bautista led off with a walk off reliever Jon Rauch. He moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a single by Freddy Sanchez. Bautista scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Bay.

After Ronny Paulino singled, lefthander Billy Traber replaced Rauch and allowed a first-pitch three-run homer to center field by Adam LaRoche, his seventh of the season.

"We did a great job getting back into the game," Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy said. "Unfortunately, the bottom of the ninth didn't work out so well for us."

Leading, 2-1, the Nationals scored three runs off Pirates starter Zach Duke.

Zimmeran walked with one out and Dmitri Young, who had three hits, singled and Kearns walked to load the bases. Church grounded what appeared to be a double-play ball to shortstop Jack Wilson, who booted it for an error. Zimmerman scored and Brian Schneider singled to center, driving home Young and Kearns for a 5-1 lead.

"It was very important to win it because of what we're going through right now - blowing the four-run lead," Washington manager Manny Acta said.

The Nationals broke a three-game losing streak with the win.

"Our team has shown a lot of character, but this would have been a discouraging loss," Acta said.

Duke allowed five runs - four earned in six innings - and has won just once in his last 11 starts.

In the Nationals' first inning, Guzman singled with one out. Zimmerman hit into a fielder's choice and took third on Young's single before scoring on Kearns' double.

Pittsburgh tied the score in the second off starter Micah Bowie when Xavier Nady led off with a walk and scored on Ryan Doumit's double. Nady left the game with left hamstring tightness.

Bowie pitched five-plus innings, allowing two hits - both to Doumit - and one run. He walked five and struck out five.