Nationals sign free-agent closer Capps

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington Nationals moved to shore up their pitching staff by signing free-agent closer Matt Capps, the team said Wednesday.

Capps went 19-19 with 67 saves and a 3.61 ERA in 271 appearances during five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 26-year-old right-hander went 4-8 with 27 saves and a 5.80 ERA in 57 games for the Pirates in 2009. Terms of the deal were not released.

(Writing by Steve Ginsburg, editing by Justin Palmer)