Andrey Heaney celebrates 10 years of MLB service with gem as Pirates shut out Nationals

The Pittsburgh Pirates celebrated Andrew Heaney for 10 years of major league service before his start Thursday, with carved watermelons and cupcakes representing the six teams he’s pitched for over 12 seasons.

Then the 33-year-old left-hander showed why he has staying power.

Heaney tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings while protecting a one-run lead before leaving his second quality start of the season to an ovation from the crowd of 12,748 Thursday afternoon at PNC Park.

Oneil Cruz provided the lone run with a leadoff homer for a 1-0 win over Washington Nationals, as the Pirates (8-12) rode their pitching to their first shutout of the season and a four-game series win.

When Nationals starter Trevor Williams left a knee-high 0-1 slider over the middle of the plate, Cruz crushed it 442 feet to right-center at an exit velocity of 114.5 mph for his fourth home run for the lead.

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After Bailey Falter tossed a two-hitter over seven scoreless innings in a 6-1 win Wednesday night, the Pirates got a second consecutive efficient start from a lefty. Heaney (1-1) allowed five hits and two walks while recording four strikeouts on 96 pitches, throwing 61 for strikes, to earn his first win with the Pirates.

Heaney twice got out of jams with runners in scoring position. In the second inning, Nathaniel Lowe hit a leadoff single and advanced to third on a single by Dylan Crews, but Heaney got Luis Garcia Jr. to ground into a forceout, Jacob Young to line out to short and Riley Adams to ground into a fielder’s choice.

Heaney escaped another tense moment in the sixth, when Amed Rosario singled to right with two outs and Lowe followed with a double to left. But Heaney got Crews to fly out to right to end the frame.

The Nationals threatened again in the eighth, when Nasim Nunez drew a full-count walk and advanced to second on Alex Call’s sacrifice bunt. That’s when Pirates manager Derek Shelton turned to the bullpen, bringing in lefty Ryan Borucki to relieve Heaney.

Borucki got James Wood to ground out to short for the second out, and Ke’Bryan Hayes made a backhand snare of a short hop down the third base line to prevent Nunez from scoring. Dennis Santana replaced Borucki to get the final two outs in the ninth for the save.