Carmen Mlodzinski Dominates as Pirates Beat Nationals

Mlodzinski throws six scoreless innings in relief as the Pirates shutout the Nationals 2-0.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 12:56am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic motion of a baseball pitcher's delivery, with the player's face and uniform abstracted into overlapping planes of color and shape.Mlodzinski's dominant relief outing helps the Pirates maintain their lead atop the NL Central.Today in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski delivered a dominant performance, throwing six scoreless innings of relief to lead the Pirates to a 2-0 victory over the Washington Nationals at PNC Park. Mlodzinski allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out five batters, relying primarily on his splitter and four-seam fastball. The Pirates scored both of their runs in the first inning, with RBI singles from Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales.

Why it matters

Mlodzinski's strong outing is a positive sign for the Pirates, who made the decision to give him another chance in the starting rotation this season. The win also keeps the Pirates atop the National League Central Division with an 11-7 record through the first three weeks of the 2026 season.

The details

The Pirates decided to start left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery, which allowed Mlodzinski to come in from the second inning onward. Mlodzinski was dominant, throwing six scoreless innings and allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out five batters. He mostly relied on his splitter and four-seam fastball, mixing in other pitches as well. The Pirates scored both of their runs in the first inning on RBI singles from Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales.

  • The Pirates have taken two out of three games in this series against the Nationals.
  • The Pirates can take the series in the fourth game on April 16.

The players

Carmen Mlodzinski

A right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who delivered a dominant six-inning relief performance, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out five batters.

Mason Montgomery

A left-handed relief pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who was used as the starting pitcher in this game, facing the first inning before Mlodzinski took over.

Marcell Ozuna

The Pittsburgh Pirates' designated hitter who recorded an RBI single in the first inning to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

Nick Gonzales

The Pittsburgh Pirates' shortstop who hit a slow ground ball that resulted in an RBI single in the first inning, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Gregory Soto

The Pittsburgh Pirates' left-handed relief pitcher who threw a scoreless eighth inning.

Dennis Santana

The Pittsburgh Pirates' right-handed relief pitcher who recorded the save with a scoreless ninth inning.

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What’s next

The Pirates and Nationals will play the fourth and final game of their series on April 16.

The takeaway

Mlodzinski's dominant relief outing is a positive sign for the Pirates, who are off to a strong 11-7 start in the NL Central. The Pirates' decision to give Mlodzinski another chance in the starting rotation appears to be paying dividends early in the season.