Tim Redding allows 1 run in 6 1-3 innings, Aaron Boone homers to lead Nats over Pirates 5-1

Redding (4-2) closed out an 11-game homestand, Washington's longest of the season, by helping the Nationals to their sixth victory in seven games. Washington finished the homestand 8-3.

The right-hander, who has twice as many wins as any other Nationals starting pitcher, allowed six hits, walked none and struck out five.

Redding departed after LaRoche's one-out double in the seventh put runners at second and third. Reliever Saul Rivera induced comebackers to the mound from Jose Bautista and pinch-hitter Doug Mientkiewicz to escape the jam.

Boone started at third base in place of Ryan Zimmerman, whose consecutive games played streak was halted at 205. Zimmerman's was the second-longest active streak in the majors behind Atlanta's Jeff Francoeur, who played in his 356th straight game Sunday.

Adam LaRoche had three hits, including a homer, and two RBIs for the Pirates, who have lost seven of 10 games and 13 of 18.

RBI singles by Nick Johnson and Austin Kearns staked Redding to a 2-0 first-inning lead. Cristian Guzman hit a one-out single, Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell (2-2) plunked Lastings Milledge in the left shoulder with a pitch and Johnson and Kearns followed with successive run-scoring singles to left.

Boone's solo shot to left-center leading off the fourth made it 3-0.

LaRoche hit a bases-empty homer with one out in the fifth, his second of the year.

Snell was pulled after yielding Felipe Lopez's RBI single in the seventh. Snell gave up four runs on 10 hits, walked one and struck out two.

Pinch-hitter Wily Mo Pena's double off the left-field fence made it 5-1 in the eighth. LaRoche added a run-scoring single in the ninth.

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