Cubs 6 - 3 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Nationals hand Zimmermann ball vs. Cubs

Jun 7, 2015 - 2:02 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Jordan Zimmermann tries to win his fifth consecutive decision when the Washington Nationals close a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs Sunday afternoon in the nation's capital.

Zimmermann is 4-0 over his last eight starts and hasn't lost since April 18 versus the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran right-hander tossed eight scoreless innings and yielded just six hits and one walk and fanned four batters in his longest outing of the season.

Zimmermann is 1-4 with a 4.32 ERA in eight career starts versus the Cubs. He gave up just a run in seven strong innings at Wrigley Field in a no-decision on May 26.

Kyle Hendricks counters for the Cubs. The right-hander is coming off a 5-2 loss at Miami on Tuesday when he went six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts.

Hendricks' lone victory came via shutout, the first of his career, on May 21 at San Diego. He's had one start versus the Nationals. That came May 26 at Wrigley Field when he allowed four hits and a run over seven frames in a no- decision. The Cubs won that game, 3-2, when Addison Russell doubled home Jonathan Herrera in the bottom of the ninth inning.

In Saturday's contest, Joe Ross made his major league debut, but veteran Jason Hammel stole the spotlight on the mound. Hammel (5-2) struck out seven in eight-plus innings in the Cubs' 4-2 win.

"I wanted to finish that one bad," said Hammel.

Anthony Rizzo backed Hammel with two hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, and Dexter Fowler and Jonathan Herrera also had two-hit games along with an RBI.

Ross (0-1) was perfect his first time through the lineup before running into trouble when hitters got their second look at the rookie. He finished with three runs allowed on six hits and no walks in five innings with four strikeouts.

"He was unfazed by the magnitude of it," said Nationals manager Matt Williams. "He did well."

Hammel only made two mistakes, which resulted in home runs by Wilson Ramos and Bryce Harper.

The Nationals took two of three on the road over the Cubs from May 25-27 and have won nine of the past 15 meetings overall.






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