PITTSBURGH -- It was a wild game, for sure, even though Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker called it "not a very good game."

That would have been the full scope of it if not for an injury to star Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper, ill feelings and a benches-clearing incident in the third inning Sunday.

A few hours after that, Jayson Werth smacked a pinch-hit, two-run homer to highlight a five-run eighth as Washington pulled out a 10-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The big topic -- especially for Washington, which was a day removed from clinching the National League East title and gearing for the playoffs -- was the status of Harper and the manner in which he injured his left thumb.

Baker said Harper, the 2015 National League MVP, will have X-rays Monday on the sore thumb.

Harper hit a triple in the third and slid into the base hard when Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang motioned to apply a fake tag even through the throw from right field was offline.

Harper received medical attention. He remained at third and later scored, but he was replaced in the bottom of the third.

"First of all, I meant no harm," Kang said through an interpreter. "During the relay play, I tried to hold the runner on third base. That's all I tried to do."

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle defended Kang -- "Fake tags are made a lot," he said -- but Baker took some exception.

"Yeah, especially when there's no play. ... I don't think that was necessary," he said.

Kang came to bat in the bottom of the third with two outs. Starter A.J. Cole's first pitch sailed behind Kang's head. Home plate umpire Jordan Baker immediately ejected Cole, and both benches emptied.

The jostling that ensued along the third-base line worried Baker some.

"Yeah. We don't want guys suspended," he said. "But you know, boys will be boys, and you've still got to defend your teammates."

Pittsburgh's Sean Rodriguez, who showed some temper, was the only other player ejected.

Cole didn't like Kang's play -- "Nobody likes when anybody gets hurt on the field, especially your own players," he said -- but he insisted he was not issuing a warning or trying to retaliate.

"The scouting report, you've got to (pitch him) up and in or on the hands," Cole said. "That's where I was trying to go. You've got to get in tight on him. You leave it over the plate, he's going to hit it. And he's got, what, 20 home runs now? You've got to get it in there. You can't just leave it over the plate. That's where I was trying to go. That one got away from me."

Kang, in fact, hit his 20th homer, a two-run shot, in the seventh to give the Pirates a 7-5 lead.

In addition to the 17 runs, the four-hour game featured a combined 21 hits, four ties, 45 players used (tying the National League record), 17 pitchers (one shy of the major league record), plus the benches-clearing incident, two ejections and injury to Harper.

"Oh, my gosh, what a crazy game," said Washington closer and former Pirate Mark Melancon, who pitched the ninth for his 46th save. "But you know, I've realized in my little time over here that this team is pretty good at that -- late-inning runs and scoring in bunches."

Shawn Kelley (3-2) pitched the eighth for the win. Felipe Rivero (1-5) gave up five runs in one-third of an inning to receive the loss.

NOTES: There was a moment of silence before the game for Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, who died early Sunday in a boating accident. The Pirates wrote on Twitter: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marlins organization, their fans and the family of Jose Fernandez." The Nationals tweeted: "We are heartbroken by the news of Jose Fernandez's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family & the entire Marlins organization." ... Several players from both teams offered thoughts on social media, and Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said before the game, "It is so horribly sad on so many different levels. ... Be where your feet are. Enjoy the moment. There will be a day where there won't be another day." ... A day after clinching the NL East title, the Nationals gave several regulars a day off, including CF Trea Turner, LF Jayson Werth, 1B Ryan Zimmerman, C Wilson Ramos and 2B Stephen Drew. ... Washington 2B Daniel Murphy (buttocks strain) missed his seventh game in a row. He is out indefinitely. ... Pirates SS Jordy Mercer returned to the starting lineup after being available only for pinch-hitting duty the previous two games. ... Pirates RF Gregory Polanco missed his second straight game because of a facial contusion that forced him from Friday's game. ... Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte was out of the lineup for the third straight game because of recurring back problems that GM Neal Huntington said is muscular. ... Pirates C Francisco Cervelli was given the day off from the starting lineup. ... The Pirates' bullpen surpassed the 500 strikeout mark Saturday and entered Sunday with 506, a club record for a season.