Nationals beat Pirates in ninth, 2-1

July 1, 2011 at 10:24p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Stairs drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth Friday night to give Washington a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in a Davey Johnson home debut that looked much like any other game at Nationals Park this season — a nail-biter without much offense.

Stairs’ drive off the right-field wall scored pinch-runner Alex Cora to give Johnson his first win as Washington’s interim manager.

Read the story in Saturday’s Vindicator and vindy.com.