Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals Box Score on Jun 28, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 28, 2017

WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg struck out 13 batters in seven innings, Anthony Rendon was 3-for-3 with a homer, and Bryce Harper was 2-for-4 with two RBIs as the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 on Wednesday.

There was more bad news for the Cubs as third baseman Kris Bryant, who was 2-for-3, left the game in the fifth inning when he appeared to roll his ankle on the third base bag after he caught a foul pop nearby.

Strasburg (9-2) didn't need much help, as he gave up just four hits and three runs (two earned) with pinpoint control. He walked one while throwing 96 pitches, 70 for strikes. The right-hander had allowed 13 runs in his previous 15 1/3 innings.

Washington scored in five of the first six innings.

Harper, good friends with fellow Las Vegas product Bryant, had an RBI double off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth to give the Nationals an 8-3 lead.

Chicago's Anthony Rizzo hit a long homer to right off reliever Enny Romero to trim the lead to 8-4 in the eighth, but Matt Albers got the last three outs in the ninth.

Cubs starter John Lackey (5-9) gave up a season-high eight earned runs on nine hits (three homers) with two walks, a wild pitch and hit batter in 5 1/3 innings. He had allowed just two runs in his previous 12 innings over two starts.

Trea Turner also had two hits for Washington (47-31), and Ryan Zimmerman drove in two runs.

The Cubs (39-39) are at .500 for the first time since June 18.

One night after the Nationals stole seven bases, Washington used a more standard approach to score early.

Zimmerman had an RBI single in the first inning with two outs to score Harper, who had doubled to right-center field.

Washington scored four earned runs in the second against Lackey to make it 5-0.

Rendon and Matt Wieters hit back-to-back homers to start the inning. It was the 15th homer for Rendon and seventh for Wieters, and it was the seventh time this year the Nationals hit back-to-back homers.

Harper then walked with the bases loaded to force in Strasburg, who had singled with one out. Turner scored with the bases loaded as Zimmerman got credit for an RBI when he reached on an error by Bryant at third to make it 5-0.

Rendon doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael A. Taylor in the third as the Nationals forged ahead 6-0.

Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer off Strasburg to trim the Cubs' deficit to 6-2 in the fourth.

Albert Almora Jr. doubled and scored in the fifth when Zimmerman couldn't come up with a grounder at first to pull the Cubs within 6-3.

Washington's Daniel Murphy led off the sixth with a homer for a 7-3 advantage.

Strasburg struck out all three batters in the third and fanned six batters in a row before Bryant doubled to lead off the fourth.

NOTES: Cubs manager Joe Maddon and several players visited the White House before the game Wednesday. They met President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. ... Cubs C Miguel Montero was designated for assignment Wednesday, one day after he blasted RHP Jake Arrieta for not holding runners on well. The Nationals stole seven bases Tuesday against Montero. The Cubs called up C Victor Caratini from Triple-A Iowa. ... Cubs LHP Jon Lester (5-4, 3.83 ERA) will face Washington RHP Joe Ross (4-3, 5.40 ERA) in the series finale Thursday. ... A source confirmed that RHP Wil Crowe, a second-round pick by the Nationals earlier this month, signed with the club. He was drafted out of the University of South Carolina.