Jordan again in line for a tough-luck loss (Nats lose fifth straight)

The Nationals are being outscored by the Pirates 5-1 midway through the eighth. They're being outhit 10-2. At least they hold lead in one category - errors, where they have a 2-0 edge tonight. They've got that going for them, so that's nice. The box score says that Taylor Jordan allowed five runs tonight, four of which were earned. And that's true, of course. But making his fifth career major league start, Jordan pitched a heck of a lot better than the box score indicates. The rookie right-hander went 7 2/3 innings, far and away the longest outing of his brief major league career, and he held the Pirates scoreless during a five-inning stretch from the third through the seventh. The Nats trailed 3-1 with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Jordan surrendered a homer to Pedro Alvarez on an 86 mph changeup up on the outer part of the plate and then allowed a single to Russell Martin. Davey Johnson came out to get his 24-year-old righty, who got a nice ovation from the 32,976 at Nats Park. But the bleeding didn't stop there for the Nats, as Martin stole second base, moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Wilson Ramos, and then came in to score on a double by Gabby Sanchez. That gave the Pirates a four-run lead and generated even more exasperating grumbling from the crowd here tonight. Jordan doesn't deserve to be winless this season given how well he's pitched, for the most part. But he's set to fall to 0-3, and the Nats are set to drop their fifth straight, unless a big comeback comes together in the late innings. Update: That'll do it. The Nats fell to the Pirates 5-1, giving them their fifth straight loss and 10th defeat in their last 12 games. In their last 14 losses, the Nats have scored just 24 runs. They've now scored one run or fewer in 27 games this season. At the 100-game mark, the Nats are four games under .500.