Pittsburgh Pirates series takeaways vs. Washington Nationals

Jul 23, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Francisco Liriano (47) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Game One: Francisco Liriano (5-6, 2.98 ERA) vs. Doug Fister (3-5, 4.30 ERA)

Result: Pirates win 7-3

Winning Pitcher: Francisco Liriano (6-6, 2.91 ERA)

Losing Pitcher: Doug Fister (3-6, 4.50 ERA)

• What went right:
  • Francisco Liriano was absolutely filthy, going six innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out 11.
  • Andrew McCutchen went 2-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
  • Pedro Alvarez had a very solid ballgame, going 1-3 with a home run, two RBIs, and a walk.
  • Pirate pitching kept Bryce Harper in check as he struck out twice.

• What went wrong:
  • Ian Desmond had a big game, going 2-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored.
  • Arquimedes Caminero had another poor outing despite closing out the game. He went one inning and allowed two runs on two hits.
  • Despite the seven runs, the Pirates only went 1-8 with runners in scoring position.

The Pirates started off the series against Washington with a big win. They then looked to gain some revenge off the pitcher that no-hit them just over a month ago…

Next: Game Two: Jeff Locke vs. Max Scherzer