PITTSBURGH -- Solid starting pitching. A couple of defensive gems. Just enough hitting to make a difference. For a night, the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates managed to recapture a little bit of their 2013 magic. Do it a few more times and maybe their miserable start to 2014 will become a memory. Edinson Volquez allowed one run in six sharp innings, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison made a splash both at the plate and in the field, and the Pirates edged the Washington Nationals 3-1 Thursday night. Volquez (2-4) ended a three-game losing streak by limiting the Nationals to three hits, walking two and striking out four. Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his eighth save. McCutchen drove in two runs for the Pirates and made a sliding grab with two on in the ninth to end the game. Josh Harrison added two hits for Pittsburgh and added a run-saving catch of his own for the Pirates. "Thats what were known for, just playing routine baseball, not doing anything too out of the ordinary," McCutchen said. "(Just) getting in scoring position, getting some runs home and having pitching shut it down for us." Ian Desmond hit his eighth homer of the season for the Nationals, but Washington left 10 runners on base. Rookie Blake Treinen (0-2) struggled with his command in his second career start, giving up two runs on four hits in 5 2-3 innings, striking out four and walking five. The Nationals have lost three of four. "Our approach was fine," Washington manager Matt Williams said. "They made some really nice plays. That happens. Its big league baseball. They get paid to do that." Volquez had been a pleasant surprise during the seasons first month, but scuffled through his previous four starts, going 0-3 with a 10.19 ERA as part of a slide that had the Pirates well off the pace in the NL Central a year after making the franchises first post-season appearance in more than two decades. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle wondered if Volquez -- who led the National League in walks per nine innings last season -- was suddenly throwing too many strikes. The former All-Star did a better job mixing location and speed against Washingtons patchwork lineup. His only real miscue came on a 2-0 fastball in the fourth that Desmond sent into the seats in centre field that briefly tied the game at 1. It was the 10th home run Volquez has surrendered this season, but he responded by retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced. "Just keeping the ball in the strike zone, keeping the ball in the ballpark," Volquez said. "I did it for a couple innings and Desmond hit a homer. A solo shot cant beat you, its only one run. You stay in the game and keep pitching." Treinen, who faced Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw in his previous major league start, wasnt quite as crisp. He retired the first eight batters he faced thanks in part to a sinker that topped out at 97 mph before getting loose in the third. He loaded the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and a single by Harrison before hitting McCutchen with an 80 mph changeup to force in a run. Trouble surfaced again in the fifth thanks in part to Harrison, who has provided a spark in right field even as the Pirates mark time until the likely arrival of highly touted prospect Gregory Polanco next month. Harrison walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a fly to centre before streaking home on a sharp single up the middle by McCutchen. Harrison is 13 for 37 (.351) since being moved into the leadoff spot earlier this month. Washington loaded the bases in the eighth off Tony Watson, but the left-hander retired Scott Hairston on a fly to shallow left field to get out of it and Melancon survived despite putting two runners on with McCutchens sliding grab on a sinking liner by Anthony Rendon sealing it. NOTES: The Pirates claimed right-handed reliever Josh Wall off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday and assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Wall is 1-1 with a 15.15 ERA in 15 career major league games. To make room for Wall on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated RHP Phil Irwin for assignment. ... Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche went 0 for 2 in a rehab start for Class A Potomac on Thursday night. LaRoche has been on the disabled list since May 10 with a strained right quadriceps. LaRoche is eligible to come off the DL on Sunday. ... The series continues Friday night when Washingtons Jordan Zimmerman (3-1, 3.70 ERA) faces Pittsburghs Charlie Morton (0-6, 3.45). Clayton Keller Jersey . 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That was two days after coach Gerardo Martino stepped down when Barcelona finished its first season without a major trophy in six years.TORONTO -- Shea Emry and Tim Burke are together again. The Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran linebacker to a three-year deal Tuesday, hours after the start of CFL free agency. The move reunites Emry with Tim Burke, the new Argos defensive co-ordinator who held the same post in Montreal when Emry began his pro career in 2008. "We (Emry and Burke) had a brief conversation after I signed and it was great, it was just like old times," Emry said during a conference call. "Im super excited with the dynamic aspects he wants to bring to it. "Im a guy whos been in the defence that really allowed me to flourish and be the player I want to be." Toronto also signed former Edmonton Eskimos offensive lineman Scott Mitchell as a free agent Tuesday. Emry will replace veteran Robert McCune in the middle of Torontos defence. McCune was the clubs tackling leader last season but became a free agent Tuesday as well. "I think youre getting a player of similar mould," Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said when asked to compare Emry with McCune. "One of the things Ive always said about Shea from when he was a rookie is theres a certain number of players in the league that when the games on the line and you need a play, you hear it said all the time, this guy is around the ball and making a play. "Thats one of the biggest strengths Shea has, is when the moment is at its biggest, thats when he seems to make a play and change the game. I dont know thats different from Robert McCune but Im certainly thrilled. Ive watched Shea since he was a rookie ... Im sure he had many many offers and Im honoured he chose to join the Double Blue." Emry, 27, of Richmond, B.C., spent the first six years of his career with Montreal, helping the Alouettes earn Grey Cup titles 2009 and 2010. Burke was the defensive co-ordinator on those championship teams but left to join head coach Paul LaPolices staff in Winnipeg in 2011. Burke became the Bombers head coach after LaPolice was fired in August 2011 and held that position until being let go by Winnipeg following the 2013 campaign. "The one guy we highlighted was Shea Emry and if he stayed available he was the guy we were going to go hard on," Argos general manager Jim Barker said. "We felt like hes the right guy, the piece to help us and Tim Burke in terms of putting in his defence a guy whos played for him and obviously is a ratio changer. "He just brings all the things we look for on this football team." Milanovich is also intimately familiar wiith Emry, having won Grey Cups as Montreals offensive co-ordinator before coming to Toronto prior to the 2012 campaign.dddddddddddd. Also, offensive co-ordinator Marcus Brady is a former Alouettes assistant. "I wanted to make my decision based on the football club," Emry said. "I know Jim and Scott run a tight ship around there, no pun intended. "I really respect Scott and respect Marcus and Tim ... I recognize theres a culture in there I want to be a part of. That was a big part of the decision. I want to be part of a winning culture and a culture that allows players to play together and flourish as a team." The seventh overall pick in the 2008 CFL draft, Emry has 261 tackles, 13 sacks, three fumble recoveries and four interceptions in his career. Emrys best season came in 2012 when he totalled a career-best 87 tackles, including seven sacks, and was named the East Divisions top Canadian and defensive MVP. He was also an East Division and CFL all-star. He said leaving Montreal is hard. "It was a difficult decision to make but on the other hand it came down to something that was really easy, it was a values-based decision," he said. "Going into this free-agency market, I knew I wanted to make a decision based on values and not where my heart laid. "I wanted to give Montreal the proper gratitude for drafting me and for having given me six great years of football and the opportunity to play football. Coming down this morning and having all the offers on the table, it made it an easy decision to go to a franchise ... that presents a great opportunity for me to step in and allow myself to be the man I want to be." The six-foot-four, 295-pound Mitchell was the second player taken in the 2011 CFL draft by Edmonton. The 24-year-old Ottawa native spent the last three years with the Eskimos. The addition of Emry and Mitchell certainly fill definite needs for Toronto, which lost starting offensive lineman Joe Epelle and versatile linebacker Jason Pottinger, both Canadians, to the expansion Ottawa Redblacks in December. The Argos also announced they signed OL Scott Mitchell, formely of the Edmonton Eskimos, and WR Mike Bradwell to a two-year extension. "Scott is a talented, young Canadian lineman who was a very good collegiate prospect coming out of a large U.S. football program," Argos GM Jim Barker said in a team release. "He now has three years of professional experience in our league and we look forward to seeing him develop with us in Toronto." Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseysdiscount uswnt jerseyWholesale AC Milan JerseysWholesale Arsenal JerseysWholesale A.S. Roma JerseysWholesale Atletico Madrid JerseysWholesale Chelsea JerseysCheap Barcelona JerseysBayern Munich Jerseys For SaleCheap Borussia Dortmund JerseysCheap Inter Milan JerseysJuventus Jerseys From ChinaLeicester City Jerseys For SaleDiscount Liverpool JerseysWholesale Manchester City JerseysManchester United Jerseys For SaleWholesale Paris Saint-Germain JerseysReal Madrid Jerseys From ChinaCheap Sevilla JerseysAuthentic Tottenham Hotspur Jerseys ' ' '