The middle of the Pirates order combined for its most RBIs since opening day, and former failed Nationals closer Joel Hanrahan shut the door on his former Washington employers in an 8-5 Pirates triumph before 19,734 at PNC Park tonight.

The Pirates, who had an 8-1 lead after a four-run fifth inning, won for the fourth time in their past five home games. . . but only the sixth time in their past 23 games all told.

In Game No. 1 of the season, the Pirates' Nos. 3, 4 and 5 hitters combined for seven RBIs: Garrett Jones, Ryan Doumit and Lastings Milledge.

In Game No. 134, the Pirates' Nos. 4, 5 and 6 hitters combined for seven RBIs: Jones with three, Pedro Alvarez and Doumit with two each.

It marked the inaugural time for Jones, Alvarez and Doumit to each tally a single RBI in the same game, and it was their 33rd game together in order.

Jones gathered his first double in 60 plate appearances when he brought home two runs with two out in the third. Then, in his next time up, he doubled again -- equaling his output since July 29, a span of 32 games -- and drove in another run. Alvarez followed with a two-run double and Doumit with a single to score Alvarez and present the Pirates with that 8-1 advantage.

Doumit homered an inning earlier, in the fourth. One-third of his 12 homers have come against National League East teams such as Washington, and another one-third have come in Milwaukee.

Zach Duke (7-12), despite a four-run sixth inning that was his last of the game, earned his second victory over his past seven starts.

Hanrahan, traded with Milledge last summer to the Pirates in the Nyjer Morgan-Sean Burnett, recorded his third save after allowed a two-out single in the ninth and then struck out Nationals slugger Ryan Zimmerman to end it -- his second strikeout of the inning.

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