Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Box Score on Aug 04, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 4, 2017

CHICAGO -- Daniel Murphy accounted for three Washington runs with a pair of homers in a 4-2 Nationals' victory over the Chicago Cubs in Friday's showdown between two National League division leaders.

Both home runs -- a two-run, first-inning shot and a solo sixth-inning blast -- came off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks and gave Murphy 19 for the season.

Nationals right-handed starter Tanner Roark (9-7) worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs on five hits for his third win in his last four starts. Roark, who hails from Chicago's far southwest suburbs, is now 2-0 all-time at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

Friday's opener of a three-game weekend series had a playoff feel with two division leaders meeting in October-like 63 degree temperatures and stiff northwesterly breezes.

The Nationals (64-43) snapped a two-game losing streak while the Cubs (57-51) dropped their third straight and are now 0-5 against Washington at home since the start of the 2015 season.

Murphy sent Hendricks' two-out 2-1 pitch to right for a two-run home run in the first inning. His 18th of the season also scored Howie Kendrick.

His sixth-inning leadoff homer came on a 2-0 count and landed in left-center and ended Hendricks' day.

He allowed three runs on five hits, walked two and struck out five.

Murphy went 3-for-4 while Kendrick and Bryce Harper each had two hits for Washington.

Cubs shortstop Javier Baez -- filling in for the sidelined Addison Russell -- hit his 15h home of the season with one out in the seventh. The blast to center scored Kyle Schwarber from second to make it a 3-2 ballgame.

It also chased Roark. Right-handed reliever Brandon Kintzler, acquired on Monday from Minnesota, stepped in for his second Nationals' appearance and walked one in two-thirds of an inning.

Left-hander Sean Doolittle, the fourth Nationals' pitcher of the day, faced four batters in a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Washington tagged Chicago reliever Carl Edwards Jr. for an insurance run in the eighth to make it 4-2 as Kendrick scored from third on Anthony Rendon's sacrifice fly to right.

NOTES -- Friday's game was the fifth between the teams his season and first in Chicago. The Cubs and Nationals split four games in June at Nationals Park. ... Washington OF Adam Eaton has spent 89 days on the disabled list with his left knee strain, the most game missed by any Nationals player. ... Cubs RHP John Lackey (8-9, 4.87 ERA) seeks his fourth straight victory since the All-Star break in Saturday's middle game. The Nationals may send RHP and ex-Cub Edwin Jackson (2-1, 2.84 ERA) but had not made an official call on Friday. ... Chicago placed SS Addison Russell (right foot strain) on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Aug. 2 and put Javier Baez in his infield spot. ... The Cubs called up LHP Rob Zastryzny from Triple-A Iowa to fill Russell's roster spot. He's was 1-2 with one save and a 6.67 ERA in 10 appearances at Iowa.