Nationals beat the Cubs 5-1 to stop a 5-game slide
CHICAGO (AP) — MacKenzie Gore struck out nine in seven sparkling innings, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Saturday.
Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer for Washington, which had dropped five in a row. José Tena had three of the Nationals' 12 hits.
Washington played without All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams, who was demoted to the minors earlier in the day. Abrams isn't expected to play for the big league team again this season.
"I just want it to be known, it wasn't performance-based — it's an internal issue," manager Dave Martinez said. "I'm not going to give specifics or talk about specifics because I need to keep these guys and everything on the down low. ... I'm going to support CJ. He's a big part of our Nats family, and he will be. At this point, for me, it's the right thing to do."
Gore (10-12) earned his second straight win. The 25-year-old left-hander was working on a no-hitter before Patrick Wisdom connected for his eighth homer with one out in the seventh inning.
Jose Ferrer got three outs before Kyle Finnegan finished the two-hitter for Washington.
Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks (4-12) allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings in what potentially could be his last home start at Wrigley Field. Hendricks, who helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series, is eligible for free agency after this season.
Ildemaro Vargas drove in Juan Yepez with a sacrifice fly in the second, and Washington broke it open with four runs in the sixth.
The Nationals put their first three batters on, and Keibert Ruiz chased Hendricks with a sacrifice fly. Gallo then greeted Keegan Thompson with his ninth homer, a drive to right that lifted his team to a 5-0 lead.
Gallo, Vargas, Yepez and Luis García Jr. each had two hits.
UP NEXT
Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (14-3, 3.03 ERA) is slated to take the mound for Sunday's series finale. RHP Jake Irvin (10-12, 4.07 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Nationals.