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By RICHARD J. MARCUS
Associated Press.SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Pivetta pitched five shutout innings in his return from a long stay on the injured list and the San Diego Padres beat the skidding Washington Nationals 3-2 on Monday to keep pace in the National League playoff race.
Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. both finished with three hits for the Padres, who remained a half-game behind Arizona for the final NL wild card. The Diamondbacks won 5-4 in 10 innings at Kansas City.
Merrill had two RBI singles that drove in Manny Machado. Tatis scored on Machado's single in the third.
Pivetta (2-2) allowed two hits in his fifth start this season and first win since April 1. He was placed on the 15-day injured list April 14 with right elbow inflammation and transferred to the 60-day IL on June 2. The right-hander struck out two and walked none while throwing 63 pitches, 39 for strikes.
Bradgley Rodriguez and Adrian Morejon each worked a hitless inning before Mason Miller struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his 34th save.
Nationals starter Jake Irvin (2-9) went 5 2/3 innings, giving up up three runs and eight hits. He is 0-5 in his past eight starts.
Dylan Crews hit a two-run homer for Washington, which has lost five straight games.
San Diego, which took two of three against the New York Yankees at home last weekend, kept the momentum going Monday with timely hitting.
The Padres scored in the first when Merrill hit a sharp single to right field to drive in Machado, who doubled.
San Diego added two runs in the third for a 3-0 lead. Machado drove in Tatis from second with a single, and Merrill followed with a single to drive in Tatis.
Crews connected in the sixth off reliever Kyle Hart.
Up next
Padres RHP Casey Mize (5-9, 3.64 ERA) pitches Tuesday night in the middle game of the series. Washington had not announced a scheduled starter.
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