Nationals 5, Pirates 2: Ian Desmond had two hits and two RBIs and Doug Fister won his second straight start as visiting Washington salvaged the finale of the four-game series.

Denard Span added two hits and scored twice and Anthony Rendon had an RBI and two runs scored for the Nationals, who snapped a four-game skid. Fister (2-1) allowed one run on six hits over 5 1/3 innings and two relievers bridged the gap to Rafael Soriano, who worked a perfect ninth for his 11th save.

Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano (0-5) gave up four runs on six hits over five frames, walking four and striking out five to run his winless streak to 14 starts dating to last season. Neil Walker was 3-for-4 and Josh Harrison had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for the Pirates, who were denied a season-high fifth straight win.

The Nationals pushed home a pair of runs with two outs in the first as Span scored on a wild pitch and Desmond singled home Rendon for a 2-0 lead. They doubled the margin in the fifth when Rendon tripled to right-center to score Span and came home on another Liriano wild pitch.

Harrison smacked his third home run in the sixth and Fister subsequently gave up a pair of singles, sending Washington to the bullpen for Craig Stammen, who got a double-play ball from Starling Marte to end the threat. Desmond added an RBI single, which originally was ruled a catch by Harrison in right field, in the seventh before Ike Davis singled home a run in the Pirates' half of the eighth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nationals improved to 21-1 when scoring four or more runs. … Davis went 2-for-4 and has reached base in 20 of his last 21 games. … The Nationals begin a nine-game homestand Monday against Miami while the Pirates face the New York Mets to start a 10-game road trip.