LDN - Sports

Murphy goes deep twice as Nationals down Cubs

[August 05, 2017] CHICAGO -- Daniel Murphy continues to own Chicago Cubs' pitching.

Murphy went 3-for-4 with two homers, two runs scored and three RBIs in the Washington Nationals' 4-2 victory to open a three-game series between National League Division leaders at Wrigley Field.

Murphy is now batting .526 with four homers and six RBIs in his last 10 games at Wrigley Field, including postseason play.

But the second baseman wasn't the only Washington batter with punch. Two other teammates near the top of the order -- Howie Kendrick and Bryce Harper -- each collected a pair of hits.

"We gave Murph a day off two days off prior to the off-day and he came out strong," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "And he responded big time for us. And any time these guys set it up for the RBI guys it makes it a lot easier."

Baker couldn't find many flaws in the Nationals' pitching either. Right-handed starter Tanner Roark (9-7) tossed 6 1/3 solid innings and the bullpen took it from there, including a four-batter, scoreless ninth from left-handed reliever Sean Doolittle for his fifth save.

Both of Murphy's 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.

Roark, who hails from Chicago's far southwest suburbs, allowed just two runs on five hits for his third win in his last four starts. He 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 Kendrick.

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

"It (the first) wasn't a terrible pitch, it was maybe a little up," Hendricks said. "The other at-bat, maybe I just fell a little bit behind."

Hendricks made his third start since returning from the disabled list with tendinitis and reached seven innings for only the second time this season. He said he felt sharper as the game went on.

"For me personally, that's something I've been striving for," he said. "That's something I've been striving for and it clicked right there about the fourth inning. I started getting some quick outs, quicker innings and to get through seven felt really good."

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Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward (22) makes a catch on a fly ball off the bat of Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (not pictured) during the third inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

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

Cubs shortstop Javier Baez -- filling in for the sidelined Addison Russell -- hit his 15h homer 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.

Right-hander Ryan Madson pitched a perfect eighth and Doolittle finished it off.

"They threw strikes, quality strikes," Baker said. "But it started long before that because Tanner threw an excellent game except for that one pitch he hung to Javie (Baez) and then it was time to get him out of there and hand it over to our newly-revamped bullpen."

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 this 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 a left knee strain, the most games 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.

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