PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit his first career grand slam to help Bailey Falter and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Wednesday night.
Henry Davis also connected for Pittsburgh, which had dropped four of five. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had two hits and scored run.
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Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis, second from right, celebrates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis hits a solo home run off Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bailey Falter delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz reaches but cannot catch a ball hit by Washington Nationals' Paul DeJong during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, April 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) is greeted by Enmanuel Valdez (48) and Andrew McCutchen (22) after scoring during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen, left, celebrates with Oneil Cruz, right, after defeating the Washington Nationals in a baseball game Monday, April 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Falter (1-2) allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings. It was the 10th time this season that a Pirates starter went six innings or more — tops in the majors.
Washington wasted a sharp performance by Mitchell Parker (2-1), who tossed six innings of one-run ball. The Nationals scored their only run on Alex Call's sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Pittsburgh jumped in front on Davis' first homer of the season — a solo shot off the foul pole in left in the fifth.
The Pirates made it 2-0 on a broken-bat groundout by Davis in the seventh, driving in Enmanuel Valdez. Third baseman Amed Rosario had to avoid Davis’ bat flying at him before he made a play to first.
The benches cleared in the seventh after a pitch by Jorge López went near Andrew McCutchen's head. López, who also hit Bryan Reynolds, was ejected.
Cruz's third homer of the season gave Pittsburgh a six-run lead.
There was a weird play in the bottom of the sixth. Tommy Pham hit a liner to left that was trapped by James Wood on a hop. Cruz went back to first not realizing what had happened, and Pham stopped running before reaching the base. Following a review, Cruz was safe and Pham was out.
Washington finished with three hits.
Nationals right-hander Trevor Williams (1-1, 7.36 ERA) faces Pirates left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-1, 3.00 ERA) on Thursday.
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Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis, second from right, celebrates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis hits a solo home run off Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bailey Falter delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz reaches but cannot catch a ball hit by Washington Nationals' Paul DeJong during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, April 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) is greeted by Enmanuel Valdez (48) and Andrew McCutchen (22) after scoring during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen, left, celebrates with Oneil Cruz, right, after defeating the Washington Nationals in a baseball game Monday, April 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.
The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.
“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”
The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.
The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.
“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”
New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.
"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.
The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.
The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.
Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.
The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.
The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.
Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.
Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”
“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.
State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”
The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.
It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.
Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
