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The Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Washington Nationals 2–0 on April 15 at PNC Park in a pitcher-dominated contest. Pittsburgh's starter was economical, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 over what appears to be a complete effort, posting a 3.25 ERA for the outing. The Pirates manufactured their two runs on five hits with a .722 OPS despite striking out 7 times, avoiding costly mistakes with no errors. Washington managed only 3 hits and was blanked at the plate, with their pitcher surrendering 5 hits and 2 earned runs while fanning 7; the Nationals' 5.89 ERA underscored the gap in pitching execution. Both offenses struggled relative to their season potential, but Pittsburgh's pitching dominance and clean defense proved the difference in this low-scoring affair. The shutout loss marks an early test for Washington's rotation depth as the division race takes shape.