Pirates smack three homers, beat Nats 7-3

PITTSBURGH - It's been a rough start for Doug Fister so far. The right-hander gave up a two-out single to Andrew McCutchen and then was tagged for an RBI triple by Starling Marte in the first.

Pedro Alvarez drilled an 87 mph fastball over the left field wall to lead off the second. Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco followed with consecutive singles but Fister battled his way out of the jam.

Fister has allowed two runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He has already thrown 68 pitches through the first three innings.

The Nationals are hitless with nine strikeouts against Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano through four innings. Bryce Harper has gone down swinging twice.

Update: The Nats got their first baserunner when Liriano walked Clint Robinson to start the fifth. Ian Desmond followed with a single to left. Liriano then proceeded to battle control issues as he uncorked two wild pitches, allowing Robinson to score.

The Pirates answered in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double from Jung Ho Kang. Cervelli's groundout then scored Kang to extend the Pirates lead to three.

Fister allowed four runs on nine hits with one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 99 pitches over five innings.

Tanner Roark pitched a perfect sixth inning with one strikeout.

Liriano left the game after Robinson led off the seventh with a double.

Update II: McCutchen smacked a two-run homer to center off Roark in the seventh. Cervelli bombed a solo shot to center off Nationals rookie Abel De Los Santos in the eighth.

Update III: Desmond blasted a two-run homer to center in the ninth. It was his 100th career home run.

The Pirates beat the Nationals 7-3.