In 11th Inning, Cubs Fall To Nats Again
CHICAGO (AP) -- Anthony Rendon homered and had four hits, including an RBI single in the 11th inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-5 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory.
Juan Soto added three hits and Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in six innings, helping Washington finish off its first sweep of Chicago since September 2012. The Nationals outscored the Cubs 23-10 in the three-game series.
Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell and Victor Caratini homered for Chicago, which had won five in a row before Washington rolled into town. Cole Hamels pitched two-run ball into the sixth, helped by a couple of strong defensive plays behind him.
Washington grabbed the lead for good when Howie Kendrick scored on Tyler Chatwood's wild pitch with Rendon at the plate in the 11th. Rendon then drove in Trea Turner with a single to left off Chatwood (5-2).
Daniel Hudson (7-3) pitched two innings for the win.
The Cubs played without Anthony Rizzo, who was sidelined by tightness in his back. The big first baseman is day to day after leaving Saturday's 7-2 loss in the fifth.
Kris Bryant hit a tying single off Strasburg in the sixth, but the Nationals responded with three in the seventh. Soto made it 3-2 with a run-scoring single, and Asdrubal Cabrera drove in two more with a base hit to right.
Chicago then went to work against Washington's beleaguered bullpen.
Caratini homered against Hunter Strickland in the seventh. After Javier Baez walked with two outs in the eighth, Schwarber tied it at 5 with a drive to left-center off Fernando Rodney for his 30th homer.
The crowd of 40,518 roared as Schwarber rounded the bases, but that was it for Chicago. Nicholas Castellanos flied out to the warning track in center for the first out in the 10th.
Rendon put Washington in front when he opened the fourth with a long drive to left on an 0-2 pitch from Hamels. The All-Star third baseman is batting .415 (22 for 53) during a 12-game hitting streak.
For a while, it looked as if Rendon's 29th homer might be enough for Strasburg. But Russell tied it for Chicago in the fifth, hitting a two-out drive into the basket in left for his seventh homer.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said LHP Sean Doolittle (right knee tendinitis) might throw a simulated game or two before he returns from the injured list. ... RHP Austin Voth (right biceps tendinitis) pitched three scoreless innings in a rehab appearance with Double-A Harrisburg on Saturday. He is scheduled to make four or five starts in the minors.
Cubs: Lefty reliever Derek Holland was placed on the 10-day IL with a bruised left wrist. Holland got struck by a comebacker during Wednesday's 12-11 victory over San Francisco. INF David Bote was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.
UP NEXT
Nationals: LHP Patrick Corbin (10-5, 3.17 ERA) starts Tuesday night in the first of two games against Baltimore. RHP Aaron Brooks (3-7, 6.21 ERA) gets the ball for the visiting Orioles.
Cubs: Following an off day, RHP Yu Darvish (4-6, 4.43 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets. Marcus Stroman (7-11, 3.18 ERA) is penciled in for New York, but the right-hander has been dealing with left hamstring tightness.
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