Sept. 20 — Dansby Swanson had three hits and scored four runs, and Cody Bellinger had three RBIs. The host Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Thursday.
Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run homer and Ian Happ had three hits and drove in two runs. Isaac Paredes drove in two runs for the Cubs (78-75), who ended a two-game losing streak with 12 hits.
Washington’s Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer and James Wood, Andres Chaparro and Jose Turner each drove in a run. C.J. Abrams had four hits and scored two runs for the Nationals (68-85), who allowed 29 runs in their fourth consecutive loss.
Chicago scored two runs each in the third and fifth innings to erase a 3–1 deficit, then Gallo answered with three runs in the sixth inning. Gallo fouled off twice while pitching, then hit Drew Smyly’s 1–2 sinker over the right field wall for his eighth home run of the season and his second home run of the game.
Bellinger tied the game 6-6 on an RBI single off Robert Garcia (3-6) in the seventh inning, then Paredes hit a grounder to beat Swanson. Garcia gave up two runs on three hits in one inning, ultimately losing the game.
A late blast provided the game-winner for Ethan Roberts (1-0), who earned his first career major league win after pitching a scoreless inning of relief. Jorge Lopez allowed no hits in a scoreless eighth inning, and Porter Hodge earned his sixth save of the season by stranding two runners in scoring position in the ninth.
Happ singled in the bottom of the third, then Suzuki walked two batters and hit Patrick Corbin’s 3-2 sinker over the wall in left-center field. Suzuki’s home run was his 21st of the season.
The Cubs loaded the bases quickly in the fifth inning before Bellinger’s grounder to Happ gave up the first run. Derek Law replaced Corbin and allowed a sacrifice fly by Paredes to score Swanson and give Chicago a 5–3 lead.
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