Nationals rookie Joe Ross was dominant Friday night in Pittsburgh, striking out 11 Pirates in a 4-1 Washington win.
Ross (2-1) gave up a run on six hits in seven and a third innings, and walked just one batter, throwing 102 pitches, 73 for strikes.
He was staked to a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI groundout by Yunel Escobar and an RBI double by Wilson Ramos.
After a Gregory Polanco second-inning RBI single cut the Nats lead to 2-1, Ramos answered in the third with an RBI single off Pirates starter A.J. Burnett (5-3).
Washington tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI triple from Danny Espinosa.
Drew Storen struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 20th save.
The win moves the Nationals (35-33) to a half-game back of the New York Mets for first place in the National League East.
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