PITTSBURGH -- Solid starting pitching. Chris Ivory Jets Jersey . A couple of defensive gems. Just enough hitting to make a difference. For a night, the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates managed to recapture a little bit of their 2013 magic. Do it a few more times and maybe their miserable start to 2014 will become a memory. Edinson Volquez allowed one run in six sharp innings, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison made a splash both at the plate and in the field, and the Pirates edged the Washington Nationals 3-1 Thursday night. Volquez (2-4) ended a three-game losing streak by limiting the Nationals to three hits, walking two and striking out four. Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his eighth save. McCutchen drove in two runs for the Pirates and made a sliding grab with two on in the ninth to end the game. Josh Harrison added two hits for Pittsburgh and added a run-saving catch of his own for the Pirates. "Thats what were known for, just playing routine baseball, not doing anything too out of the ordinary," McCutchen said. "(Just) getting in scoring position, getting some runs home and having pitching shut it down for us." Ian Desmond hit his eighth homer of the season for the Nationals, but Washington left 10 runners on base. Rookie Blake Treinen (0-2) struggled with his command in his second career start, giving up two runs on four hits in 5 2-3 innings, striking out four and walking five. The Nationals have lost three of four. "Our approach was fine," Washington manager Matt Williams said. "They made some really nice plays. That happens. Its big league baseball. They get paid to do that." Volquez had been a pleasant surprise during the seasons first month, but scuffled through his previous four starts, going 0-3 with a 10.19 ERA as part of a slide that had the Pirates well off the pace in the NL Central a year after making the franchises first post-season appearance in more than two decades. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle wondered if Volquez -- who led the National League in walks per nine innings last season -- was suddenly throwing too many strikes. The former All-Star did a better job mixing location and speed against Washingtons patchwork lineup. His only real miscue came on a 2-0 fastball in the fourth that Desmond sent into the seats in centre field that briefly tied the game at 1. It was the 10th home run Volquez has surrendered this season, but he responded by retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced. "Just keeping the ball in the strike zone, keeping the ball in the ballpark," Volquez said. "I did it for a couple innings and Desmond hit a homer. A solo shot cant beat you, its only one run. You stay in the game and keep pitching." Treinen, who faced Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw in his previous major league start, wasnt quite as crisp. He retired the first eight batters he faced thanks in part to a sinker that topped out at 97 mph before getting loose in the third. He loaded the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and a single by Harrison before hitting McCutchen with an 80 mph changeup to force in a run. Trouble surfaced again in the fifth thanks in part to Harrison, who has provided a spark in right field even as the Pirates mark time until the likely arrival of highly touted prospect Gregory Polanco next month. Harrison walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a fly to centre before streaking home on a sharp single up the middle by McCutchen. Harrison is 13 for 37 (.351) since being moved into the leadoff spot earlier this month. Washington loaded the bases in the eighth off Tony Watson, but the left-hander retired Scott Hairston on a fly to shallow left field to get out of it and Melancon survived despite putting two runners on with McCutchens sliding grab on a sinking liner by Anthony Rendon sealing it. NOTES: The Pirates claimed right-handed reliever Josh Wall off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday and assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Wall is 1-1 with a 15.15 ERA in 15 career major league games. To make room for Wall on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated RHP Phil Irwin for assignment. ... Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche went 0 for 2 in a rehab start for Class A Potomac on Thursday night. LaRoche has been on the disabled list since May 10 with a strained right quadriceps. LaRoche is eligible to come off the DL on Sunday. ... The series continues Friday night when Washingtons Jordan Zimmerman (3-1, 3.70 ERA) faces Pittsburghs Charlie Morton (0-6, 3.45). Joe Namath . They won gold today in the womens bobsled competition at the Sochi Games. The Canadian duo finished with a four-run time of three minutes 50. Calvin Pryor Jersey . And it showed Thursday night. The Canadiens, playing in their second game in as many days, however, got a good performance in the end from their backup goaltender as he filled in for an injured Olympic gold medallist . Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Alexander Semins goal in the third round of the shootout was the winner, as the Washington Capitals blew a three-goal lead but rebounded to beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-4. After Danny Briere scored to even things, Semin walked in on Brian Boucher, pulled the puck back to avoid an unnecessary poke check, and lifted a backhander home to end the game. Washington, which saw its lead in the Southeast Division increase to seven points over second-place Tampa Bay, wrapped up a playoff spot. Mike Knuble posted a goal and two assists for the Capitals, who shrugged off the absence of captain Alex Ovechkin to win for the 11th time in 12 outings. I certainly like how we came out. Everything we were shooting was going in and we got that three-goal lead, Knuble said. You knew at some point they were going to come on, and that they werent happy with the way things went from the start. The goaltender change really sparked them. We kept rolling as a group and got timely goals to win. Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson added a goal and helper each and Michal Neuvirth stopped 29 shots. Andreas Nodl and Claude Giroux totaled a goal and assist apiece for the Flyers, who lost for the third time in five games but remained one point ahead of Washington (97-96) in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Boucher ended up with 13 saves over the final 43-plus minutes. He bailed out starter Sergei Bobrovsky, who was yanked after yielding three goals on nine shots in less than 22 minutes. Backstrom managed to squeeze a shot between Bobrovskys arm and body from just inside the blue line for a 1-0 Capitals edge at 7:52 of the first period. The Flyers failed to equalize on an extended advantage shortly thereafter, and Knuble made it 2-0 with 2:14 remaining after finishing off a passing play between Johansson and Jason Chimera. Washington went up by three on a power play at 1:22 of the second when Bobrovsky let another shot, this time from Dennis Wideman, slip through his armpit and Boucher was summoned from the bench. White Leger Douzable Womens Elite Jersey. Kris Versteeg banked his pass to the slot off Widemans skate and in at 8:05, and it was a one-goal contest with 33.8 seconds to play when Nodl shipped a cross-ice dish to Giroux for a successful one-timer from the left circle. Mike Richards hit the far post on a wrister with 5 1/2 minutes gone in the third, but a bad clear from the Caps wound up in their own net just before the midway point. While the visitors chipped the puck around the end boards from left to right, the disc was intercepted by Giroux, whose quick tip pass found Nodl alone in front. He causally flipped his shot over Neuvirths glove for a 3-3 tie. Briere then tipped home a Kimmo Timonen point drive with 5:45 to go and the Flyers had their first lead of the contest, but Johansson drilled a long shot home with 3:19 left to deadlock the game again. Both sides had quality chances in overtime but failed to end the contest. I thought it was a playoff game. Washington is one of the best teams in the league for a reason, Nodl admmitted. They battle hard, and they block shots. It was a great game for us other than the outcome. GAME NOTES:The Capitals reached the postseason for the fourth straight year and for the 22nd season since arriving in the NHL in 1974...All four games this season between the clubs were decided beyond regulation...Ovechkin was ruled out for the next 7-10 days on Monday, with what the Caps called an undisclosed, but nagging injury...Prior to the game, the Flyers announced that forward Jody Shelley will miss one month after undergoing surgery to correct a fractured orbital bone around his left eye...The club recalled defenseman Danny Syvret from Adirondack of the AHL to fill the roster space...Brieres tally was his 100th with Philadelphia...Knuble hit the 20-goal mark for the eighth straight season. ' ' '
