WASHINGTON — The NL East champion Washington Nationals began their last — and meaningless — series of the regular season without a sore Bryce Harper and with a blown save by closer Sean Doolittle in what became a 5-4 victory Thursday night over the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose starting pitcher, Ivan Nova, left after getting hit by a pitch on his throwing hand while batting.

Howie Kendrick, a possible starter instead of Jayson Werth in left field when Washington opens its NL Division Series against the reigning World Series champion Chicago Cubs on Oct. 6, was taken out in the third inning after diving to try to catch a sinking liner. The Nationals did not immediately announce whether Kendrick was injured.

Doolittle was 21 for 21 in save opportunities for the Nationals since arriving from the Oakland Athletics in a trade in July, but he blew chance No. 22 with all of two pitches. The lefty came on for the ninth with a 4-2 lead but promptly allowed a leadoff single to Andrew McCutchen on his first pitch, then Josh Bell’s 26th homer on his next.

But Washington won it in the bottom of the ninth on Alejandro De Aza’s run-scoring single off Daniel Hudson (2-7). That made a winner of Doolittle (1-0).