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PITTSBURGH -- Carmen Mlodzinski allowed two hits over a career-high six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Washington Nationals 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Mlodzinski (1-0) took over for opener Mason Montgomery in the second and struck out five against two walks to lower his ERA to 1.77. Dennis Santana worked the ninth for his second save.
Ryan O'Hearn had three hits for the Pirates, who have won 10 of 14. Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales had first-inning RBI singles against Jake Irvin (1-2), and it proved to be enough as four pitchers combined for Pittsburgh's second shutout in less than a week.
Mlodzinski began this season as a full-fledged starter for the first time in his four-year career after bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen last season.
While he was excellent through his first three turns in 2026, manager Don Kelly opted to give the ball to the left-handed Montgomery in the first inning on Wednesday in hopes of dealing with the left-hand-heavy top of Washington's lineup while also allowing Mlodzinski to work deeper into the game.
Montgomery allowed a one-out double to Curtis Mead. Mead advanced to third on a groundout but stopped there after Montgomery fanned Brady House to end the inning.
It would be as close as the Nationals, whose 99 runs through 17 games coming in were tied for the best offensive start in franchise history, would get to scoring all night.
Mlodzinski entered in the top of the second and hit CJ Abrams before settling down. His only real spot of trouble came in the fifth, when a single and a walk put two on with one out. He retired James Wood on a long flyout to left and then forced Mead into a grounder to third to end the threat.
Up next
The four-game series wraps up on Thursday. Foster Griffin (2-0, 1.76 ERA) starts for the Nationals against Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.12).
Guards fall
ST. LOUIS -- Nathan Church had three hits, Alec Burleson had two RBIs and Jordan Walker extended his hitting streak to 11 games as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Wednesday.
Dustin May (2-2) allowed one run on six hits and a walk and had four strikeouts in six innings, and Riley O'Brien pitched a perfect ninth to earn his fifth save and help St. Louis win its second straight game.
Slade Cecconi allowed one run on three hits but surrendered a career-high five walks and threw 87 pitches in four innings for Cleveland, which lost consecutive games for the first time this season.
JJ Wetherholt lined a sacrifice fly to center field off Tim Herrin after Connor Brogdon (2-2) walked Victor Scott II to load the bases in the sixth inning, and Burleson hit a two-run single up the middle to pull St. Louis ahead 4-1.
Church pulled an RBI double down the right-field line in the bottom of the seventh inning after Bo Naylor lined a two-run double off Justin Bruihl in the top of the seventh to cut Cleveland's deficit to 4-3.
Guardians designated hitter Jose Ramirez fouled the first pitch he saw in the sixth inning off his right shin and was down for several minutes before finishing his at bat and grounding into a double play.
In the first inning, Ramirez grounded into a fielder's choice in his franchise-record 6,040th career at bat to break Nap LaJoie's 112-year-old record.
Walker lined a double to left field in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak.
Up next
Guardians: LHP Parker Messick (2-0, 0.51 ERA) will oppose Baltimore RHP Shane Baz (0-1, 4.50) to open a seven-game homestand Thursday night.
Cardinals: RHP Kyle Leahy (1-2, 5.14) will start against the Houston Astros who have not named a starter Friday night to open a six-game road trip.