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The sizzling Nationals have won 10 of 12 and
kept their hold on the top wild-card spot in the National
League. Chicago's five-game winning streak came to an end,
though the Cubs entered Friday atop the NL Central by a
half-game over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Sanchez (8-6) struck out six and allowed a single earned run in
his longest outing of the season, and also logged his second
career two-hit game. He hasn't taken a loss since May 10.
The Cubs didn't score until the ninth, their rally extended by a
throwing error with one out.
The Nationals broke open the game in the fifth inning, already
ahead 4-0. They chased Cubs starter Jon Lester (10-9) with a
pair of one-out singles.
Pedro Strop relieved and got an out, then struggled with his
control. He hit Kurt Suzuki with a pitch, uncorked a wild pitch
to allow Anthony Rendon to score, walked the bases loaded again
and surrendered a Victor Robles two-run double, giving the
Nationals a 7-0 lead.
Lester lasted 4 1/3 innings and was charged with six runs on
nine hits, the second time this month he's failed to make it
through five innings.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead on Eaton's two-out solo home run
in the first inning, Eaton's 12th of the season. They made it
2-0 by manufacturing a run with Robles' single, stolen base, a
sacrifice bunt from Sanchez and Trea Turner's sacrifice fly.
Washington added two more runs in the fourth on Suzuki's single,
one of five singles and a walk in the inning. Sanchez laid down
a bunt that died on the fair side of the third-base line to
drive in Suzuki before the inning was over.
Soto's 29th home run of the season flew into the bleachers in
left-center field in the seventh. He had three hits on the day.
Nationals ace Max Scherzer played catch before the game, a day
after his four-inning start, as he works his way back from an
upper back injury. He's in line to make his next start next
week.
Both teams wore the monochromatic Player's Weekend uniforms with
their preferred nicknames on the back, the first two big-league
teams to do so since theirs was the first game of the weekend.
Chicago wore all-white with white helmets and caps, while the
Nationals wore all-black.
--Field Level Media
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