Workload doesn't bother David Bednar in Pirates' victory against Nationals

David Bednar stands 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, with a muscular upper body and the look of a guy who believes he can do almost anything.

So it was no surprise when — several hours before the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 5-3 victory against the Washington Nationals on Sunday at PNC Park — the former Mars High School offensive lineman walked into manager Derek Shelton’s office determined to make his intention known.

“He walked in my office the first thing this morning and said, ‘I want to pitch (Sunday). Who do I have to talk to?’ ” Shelton said.

“I guess that’s me,” Shelton responded, taken aback but impressed nonetheless.

Sure, Bednar threw 24 pitches in 1²⁄₃ innings Saturday night to help the Pirates win 6-2.

Sure, conventional thinking among managers these days is to handle pitchers’ arms like they are China dolls.

But Shelton knew he could trust Bednar.

“I want to pitch every opportunity I can,” he said. “I made sure he knew I wasn’t going to be down. I played catch (before the game) and felt good.”

Fast forward to the ninth inning, and Shelton didn’t hesitate to call on Bednar to protect a two-run lead against the meat of the Nationals’ batting order.

“He’s going to get the middle of orders. That’s the way his stuff plays,” Shelton said.

As it turned out, the velocity on three of Bednar’s 15 pitches (97.5, 97.4 and 97.1 mph) was higher than that of any of the other eight pitchers who toiled Sunday. He retired three of the four batters he faced, walking Juan Soto, and the resultant victory pushed the Pirates (5-4) above .500 for only the third time in Shelton’s three seasons. The Pirates have won four of their past five games.

What about Monday night when the Pirates visit the Milwaukee Brewers?

“Give me the ball,” Bednar said.

There’s no guarantee Shelton will oblige for the third game in three days. He has plenty of other reliable arms in the bullpen.

In front of a crowd of 8,735, the Pirates held the Nationals (4-7) scoreless in eight of the nine innings. Starter Jose Quintana allowed three runs in the second, but relievers Wil Crowe, Heath Hembree and Bednar worked the final five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and three walks.

Actually, the victory belonged to everyone. Shelton took what appeared to be a gamble when he deleted his two best players — Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes — from a starting lineup already missing shortstop Kevin Newman (left groin strain).

“I think we’ve said throughout the month of April, we’re going to play our group,” he said. “Needed to get (Hayes) and Bryan a day off, and it just happened today was the day.”

Michael Chavis started at third base for Hayes and made a diving stop of a line drive by Cesar Hernandez that helped hold the Nationals to three runs in the second. He also singled and scored in the Pirates’ two-run sixth and contributed the RBI single in the seventh that broke a 3-3 tie. The fifth run scored when Yoshi Tsutsugo beat out what looked like an inning-ending double play at first base.

The rally was triggered by singles from Cole Tucker and Josh VanMeter at the bottom of the order and a sacrifice bunt by Jake Marisnick, who started in center field for Reynolds.

“The guys came through,” Shelton said. “To be able to get a victory with both those guys on the bench was really important.”

For the second game in a row, defense kept the Pirates in the game.

In the top of the seventh, three players pooled their efforts to throw out Josh Bell at home plate.

Running from first base, Bell tried to score on Maikel Franco’s double to left field. But Ben Gamel retrieved the ball quickly, fired to shortstop Diego Castillo, who relayed to catcher Roberto Perez for the out.

“We practice that a lot,” Castillo said. “I said, ‘Gimme the ball. Gimme the ball.’ ”

Castillo’s throw and Perez’s tag kept the deficit at one run and allowed the Pirates to rally. Each of their five victories have been of the come-from-behind variety.

“I don’t care how we win, but I do appreciate the fight,” Shelton said. “They continue to battle. If you look at all the games we won, Marisnick slides (to force an errant throw Saturday), Yoshi beats out a ball. Little things like that that we’ve asked our guys to do.”