WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals took chances running multiple times in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. The chance they took in the eighth helped them win the game.

A double steal forced an error and tied the game, and Ivan Rodriguez's pinch-hit single in the eighth gave the Nationals a 4-3 win in the second game at Nationals Ballpark.

In the second game, Chris Resop hit Michael Morse with a pitch in the eighth, and Brian Bixler pinch-ran for him. Tony Watson came in and walked Rick Ankiel before Bixler and Ankiel ran a double steal. Eric Fryer's throw to third went past Brandon Wood and into left field, and Bixler scored to tie the game, 3-3.

Rodriguez singled to right field, and Fryer could not handle Xavier Paul's throw in time to prevent Ankiel from scoring the go-ahead run.

The Pirates took the first game of the doubleheader, 5-3, using back to back home runs from Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen.

Brad Lincoln, recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis Saturday to start the second game, helped out the bullpen by pitching six innings of two-run ball. James McDonald started the first game and displayed excellent early control in his 6 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits.

McCutchen went 5 for 8 between the two games and fell a home run shy of the cycle in the second. His single in the eighth inning ended a streak of seven consecutive extra-base hits, the first Pirate to do that since Jason Bay in 2008.

In the second game, the Nationals set up their run in the second inning with one of several successful hit-and-run plays. Jayson Werth walked and took off on the pitch when Ankiel singled, allowing him to reach third. Wilson Ramos' ground ball scored him, and the Nationals led, 1-0.

The Pirates got two runs in the third, an inning that began with Fryer's first major-league hit. Lincoln bunted him to second and Alex Presley's grounder sent him to third. Chase d'Arnaud scored him with a single, and d'Arnaud scored on McCutchen's double off the wall in right field to put the Pirates ahead, 2-1.

The Nationals tied the game in the third. Roger Bernadina walked and again took off on the pitch, reaching third on Danny Espinosa's single. Ryan Zimmerman grounded into what could have been a double play, but d'Arnaud's throw pulled Jones off of first base, and Bernadina scored.

The Pirates broke the tie in the seventh. Matt Diaz singled, and the Pirates executed their own hit-and-run with Neil Walker at the plate that put Diaz on third. Josh Harrison grounded into a double play, but Diaz scored, and the Pirates led, 3-2.

The home runs in the first game ruined a good start for Livan Hernandez. He allowed two runs in seven innings, striking out six.

Jose Veras (2-2) earned the win in relief, and Joel Hanrahan converted his 24th save.

The Pirates scored twice in the top of the first. D'Arnaud reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on Jones' single. Jones went to third on McCutchen's double and scored on Walker's sacrifice fly to right field.

Three consecutive Nationals singles cut the Pirates' lead in half in the second. Morse singled and went to second on Espinosa's hit. Rodriguez singled to score Morse, but McDonald picked Espinosa off at second and Ian Desmond struck out to end the inning.

The Nationals tied the game at two in the seventh when Ankiel, pinch-hitting for Hernandez, hit a 3-2 pitch just over the wall in right-center field for his second home run of the season.

Diaz added to the lead with a pinch-hit single that scored Brandon Wood in the ninth.

First Published: July 3, 2011, 2:15 a.m.