Nationals 2, Cubs 1
CHICAGO -- Catcher Wilson Ramos' sixth inning solo home run provided Washington Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark all the margin he needed in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday.
Roark, a native of nearby Wilmington, Ill., earned the win in his first start of the year and fourth career appearance against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Washington right-handed reliever Drew Stroen allowed one base-runner as he worked the ninth for his 15th save.
Chicago right-hander Justin Grimm (1-1) gave up Ramos' homer and took the Memorial Day loss after working two-thirds of the sixth in relief.
Cubs left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada had no decision after throwing 5 1/3 strong innings in his second start of the season.
Leadoff batter Denard Span gave Washington a 1-0 lead with a first-inning home run to still-empty right field bleachers. Span's fourth homer of the year came on Wada's 2-2 pitch.
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant replied in the bottom of the first, forcing a 1-1 tie with his with his sixth homer of the season. Bryant's solo shot landed in the first row of the left field bleachers.
Span's homer was all Wada allowed. He threw 83 pitches in 5 1/3 innings and had four consecutive shutout innings before departing in favor of Grimm.
Wada, who started the season on the disabled list with a mild left groin strain, gave up one run on four hits, walked two and struck out six.
Ramos gave the Nationals the 2-1 lead when he greeted Grimm with a home run to right on an 0-1 pitch.
Roark, now 1-2, left with the lead as he was replaced by right-handed reliever Blake Treinen to start the sixth. Roark allowed just one run on three hit, walked one and struck out three in his five innings of work.
NOTES: Monday's win gave the Nationals a major-league-leading 20-5 record (.800) since April 28. They also topped the big leagues in runs (143), runs per game (5.96), on-base percentage (.356), slugging percentage (.476) and batting average (.294) entering Monday. ... Following the three-game Chicago series, Washington travels to Cincinnati for a weekend series and hosts Toronto for three starting next Monday. ... The Nationals send RHP Jordan Zimmerman (4-2, 3.52 ERA) against Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 4.14 ERA) in Tuesday's middle game. ... Two Cubs minor league prospects had hot Sundays as C/DH Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-4 for Double-A Tennessee -- his 10th multi-hit game of the season. SS Javier Baez hit two solo homers for Triple-A Iowa and is batting .538 over the last three games. ... The Cubs play six straight games against first-place teams this week starting with the three-game Nationals series followed by a three-game weekend set starting Friday with AL Central-leading Kansas City. ... 1B Anthony Rizzo's three-run ninth inning homer on Saturday was his first homer with at least two men on base since a grand slam on Sept. 16, 2012 against Pittsburgh.