Ashcraft wins 4th straight start as Pirates topple Nationals 7-1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Braxton Ashcraft won his fourth consecutive start and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Washington Nationals 7-1 on Saturday.

Henry Davis and Brandon Lowe both drove in two runs for Pittsburgh, which got back to .500 at 45-45 after dropping three of its past four.

Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin stole home as part of a double steal with two outs in the first inning to open the scoring. Griffin earlier stole second after a leadoff single and the Pirates had four stolen bases for the game.

James Wood hit a leadoff homer for the Nationals, whose three-game winning streak ended.

Ashcraft (9-3) allowed a run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings and struck out seven. The 26-year-old right-hander has a 3.04 ERA and 32 strikeouts in four starts since June 17 and has won eight of his past nine decisions.

With the game tied 1-1, Nationals opener Carson Palmquist (0-1) loaded the bases with none out in the second before yielding to Zack Littell.

Davis then drove in a run with an infield single, and Lowe added a two-run single two batters later. Esmerlyn Valdez made it 5-1 with a run-scoring single later in the inning.

Littell gave up a run in six innings while striking out three.

Pittsburgh added two runs in the eighth against Riley Cornelio on Nick Gonzales’ RBI single and Davis’ bases-loaded walk.

Wood hit Ashcraft’s first pitch of the day 428 feet into the third deck in right field to tie it. It was his 23rd of the season, including his seventh leadoff shot.

Washington outfielder Jacob Young was scratched from the lineup about 40 minutes before the game with left hand soreness.

Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.62 ERA) faces Washington RHP Miles Mikolas (2-7, 5.44) as the three-game series concludes Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Washington Nationals pitcher Zack Littell throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' James Wood celebrates his solo home run as he rounds the bases during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Konnor Griffin (6) steals second base against Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, left, during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Konnor Griffin, right, steals home to score against Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas, left, during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

LONDON (AP) — Iga Swiatek’s title defense at Wimbledon ended Saturday in a 7-6 (9), 6-2 third-round loss to 21-year-old Alexandra Eala, who continues to make history for the Philippines.

Eala is the first Filipino player, male or female, to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament on a day of upsets in the women's draw.

The left-handed Eala dropped to her knees and rolled onto her back on Centre Court after hitting a forehand winner on her third match point.

“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and knowing that we’re all in this together,” she said in an on-court interview as she looked around at the Philippines flags.

“This goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world,” said the 29th-seeded Eala, who saved two set points in the first-set tiebreaker.

The third-seeded Swiatek earned her first Wimbledon women’s title a year ago when she beat Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final.

Eala, who has trained in Mallorca at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy, gained worldwide support last year on her breakthrough run to the Miami Open semifinals, which included an upset of Swiatek.

She next faces 13th-seeded Jasmine Paolini for a spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Shortly before Swiatek's exit, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was upset in the third round by Elise Mertens 7-6 (4), 6-1.

At No. 2, Rybakina is the highest seed on the women’s side to be eliminated. Her loss ensures that Aryna Sabalenka — who faces Naomi Osaka in the fourth round on Sunday — will keep her No. 1 ranking after the tournament.

Belgium’s Mertens is the No. 25 seed at Wimbledon, where she’s won two doubles titles. She will next face 21st-seeded Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.

In another upset, Madison Keys rallied to oust the sixth-seeded Anisimova 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in an all-American contest on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.

The 26th-seeded Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, was asked how she'll celebrate the U.S. holiday.

“I have no plans,” she told the Centre Court crowd after her victory. “When you're not in the States, it's just kind of another day.”

Keys will next play ninth-seeded Linda Noskova.

Ashlyn Krueger, another American, has come through qualifying to reach the fourth round. She beat Ukraine's Daria Snigur 6-3, 6-2 and will face another Ukrainian — 12th-seeded Marta Kostyuk — for a spot in the quarterfinals.

French Open champion Alexander Zverev, the No. 2 seed, got past American Marcos Giron 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4 to set up a fourth-round match against 13th-seeded Jiri Lehecka.

Ninth-seeded Flavio Cobolli — the runner-up at Roland Garros — overcame a slow start against Karen Khachanov to win 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 and will face No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur in the fourth round.

Serena Williams withdrew from her doubles match with sister Venus due to a right knee injury. The 44-year-old Serena was injured during her singles return earlier this week.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion said in an Instagram post that she was “heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Alexander Zverev of Germany returns the ball to Marcos Giron of the United States in their third round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates winning the third round women's singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates winning the third round women's singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates winning the third round women's singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Iga Swiatek of Poland rests under her towel during the third round women's singles match against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines eyes the ball during the third round women's singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Elise Mertens of Belgium returns the ball to Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in their third round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan serves against Elise Mertens of Belgium in their third round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)