Slumping Danny Espinosa hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning as the Washington Nationals topped the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2, Monday in a matchup of two of the worst offenses in baseball.

Jerry Hairston Jr. homered and Wilson Ramos had an RBI single for Washington, which has won two straight following a three-game losing streak.

Steve Pearce had an RBI single for Pittsburgh, which has lost six straight. The Pirates were just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, which led to another hard-luck loss for Paul Maholm (1-6). He has received just 14 runs of support in his nine starts.

Andrew McCutchen tied the game 2-2 in the seventh with an RBI triple, but Washington regained the lead in its half. Mike Morse hit a one-out single chasing Maholm, and Espinosa deposited the first pitch he saw from Jose Ascanio into the right field seats for his fifth homer of the season. The hit snapped a 1-for-24 skid.

Cole Kimball (1-0), who relieved Washington starter John Lannan in the seventh, picked up his first career win with a scoreless inning. Former Pirate Sean Burnett got the final two outs of the eighth and Drew Storen worked out of a first-and-second jam in the ninth to remain perfect in nine save opportunities.

Maholm allowed three runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. Lannan, allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.