Final
Nats and Cubs resume set in D.C.
Jun 5, 2015 - 2:27 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The slumping Washington Nationals look to avoid a fourth straight loss on Friday night when they resume a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs.The Nationals have lost six of their last seven games, with last night's 2-1 setback dropping them a game behind the New York Mets for first place in the NL East. They are hitting just .226 with only one homer over their last seven games.
Washington scored its lone run in the sixth inning on Thursday on Bryce Harper's ground out, but had two runners on base with two outs in the ninth inning and Anthony Rendon at the plate.
Rendon, though, didn't get a chance to try and deliver as Clint Robinson was picked off first base by Cubs catcher David Ross.
"I just couldn't get back fast enough," Robinson said.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he had no idea that first baseman Anthony Rizzo had signaled to Ross for the play.
"They saw something. They went with it," Maddon said of the pickoff.
Jake Arrieta got the win and snapped Chicago's two-game slide by striking out eight batters over six innings. Washington starter Gio Gonzalez gave up both of his runs in the first inning and logged six frames.
Rendon went 2-for-4 in his season debut after missing 53 games with a left knee sprain and a left oblique strain. He started the game at second base and moved to third when Yunel Escobar left after one inning because of an apparent injury. Danny Espinosa came on to play second.
Tanner Roark will make his third start since stepping into the Nationals rotation for the injured Doug Fister.
A 15-game winner over 31 starts last season, Roark made 13 relief appearances this year before getting the start in a 2-1 win over the Cubs on May 25. He gave up the one run on a solo homer over five innings, touched for three hits in all.
The right-hander then faced the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday and did not factor into an 8-2 loss as he yielded a pair of runs -- both on solo homers -- over six innings of four-hit ball. He is 1-2 on the year with a save and 2.59 earned run average.
Roark, who has not allowed a run over 6 2/3 innings at home this season, is 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA in four games (3 starts) lifetime versus the Cubs.
Tsuyoshi Wada will make his fourth start of the season tonight for the Cubs still searching for his first decisions.
After opening the season on the disabled list, Wada made his season debut on May 20 and in three starts has posted a 2.30 ERA. He has allowed just four runs over 15 2/3 innings with 19 strikeouts.
Wada made his first career start against the Nationals on May 25, giving up one run over 5 1/3 innings while countering Roark. He then faced Kansas City on Sunday and scattered one run, two hits and a pair of walks over 5 2/3 frames of a game the Cubs won 2-1.
The Nationals took two of three on the road over the Cubs from May 25-27 and have won eight of the past 13 meetings overall.
- CHICAGO: 5
WASHINGTON: 7
Final
Jun 5 10:03 PM - Chris Coghlan singles to left field. Starlin Castro scores.
Cubs 5, Nationals 7 Top 9, 2 OutsJun 5 10:01 PM - Dan Uggla doubles to deep left field. Michael Taylor scores.
Cubs 4, Nationals 7 Bot 8, 1 OutJun 5 9:45 PM - Wilson Ramos doubles to deep right center field. Anthony Rendon scores.
Cubs 4, Nationals 6 Bot 7, 2 OutsJun 5 9:25 PM - Rizzo homered to center on a full count, Fowler scored.
Cubs 3, Nationals 5 Top 6, 1 OutJun 5 8:52 PM - Anthony Rizzo homers to center field. Dexter Fowler scores.
Cubs 3, Nationals 5 Top 6, 1 OutJun 5 8:51 PM - Span singled to center, Espinosa scored, Roark to second.
Cubs 1, Nationals 5 Bot 4, 1 OutJun 5 8:15 PM - Denard Span singles to center field. Tanner Roark to second. Danny Espinosa scores.
Cubs 1, Nationals 5 Bot 4, 1 OutJun 5 8:15 PM - M.Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder Lake, Desmond scored, Espinosa to third.
Cubs 1, Nationals 4 Bot 4, 1 OutJun 5 8:11 PM - Michael Taylor out on a sacrifice fly to right center field to Junior Lake. Danny Espinosa to third. Ian Desmond scores.
Cubs 1, Nationals 4 Bot 4, 0 OutsJun 5 8:11 PM - Espinosa homered to left on a 2-2 count, W.Ramos scored, Desmond scored.
Cubs 0, Nationals 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 5 7:35 PM - Danny Espinosa homers to center field. Ian Desmond scores. Wilson Ramos scores.
Cubs 0, Nationals 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 5 7:34 PM - Dexter Fowler flies out to right center field to Bryce Harper.
Jun 5 7:06 PM - CHICAGO: 0
WASHINGTON: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 5 7:05 PM
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