Nats defeat Cubs 5-2
The Washington Nationals got a bounce back win over the Chicago Cubs Saturday night at Nationals Park in front of both a sold out crowd and a FOX national TV audience.
This game featured another juicy starting pitching matchup, featuring Stephen Strasburg and Jon Lester. The 5-2 win was much needed after a bullpen collapse the night before wasting an otherwise entertaining Friday night game that featured the pitching matchup of Max Scherzer and Cole Hamels.
Brian Dozier gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead in the second with a home run to center field that reached 388 feet.
The Nats added three more in the third. Trea Turner, who returned to the lineup Friday, singled to lead off the inning. Eaton got to first on a bunt down the third base line. Cubs third baseman David Bote made a throwing error on an attempt to get out the speedy Turner, but it sailed away, allowing Turner to fly to third. After Eaton got caught stealing second, Anthony Rendon walked.
Howie Kendrick brought Turner home with a double to left. Juan Soto followed with a double to right field to bring home Kendrick and Rendon. All of a sudden it was 4-0.
The Cubs got on the board with a run in the fifth, but the Nats answered in the bottom of that inning with another Soto RBI, this time a single to score Rendon. The Cubs got a run back in the sixth with a solo home run from Bote.
Other than those two runs, one of which was earned, Strasburg had himself a good night on the mound. He went eight innings, allowing just an earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts.
The Nationals and the Cubs meet one more time on Sunday Night Baseball. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
Top photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images
