Nationals 7, Cubs 5
WASHINGTON -- Second baseman Danny Espinosa had two runs scored and two hits, including a three-run homer to jumpstart the offense, and the Washington Nationals held off the Chicago Cubs 7-5 on Friday thanks to a balanced 12-hit attack.
The Nationals led 5-1 but had to withstand two homers and three RBIs from Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs first baseman.
Rizzo hit a two-run homer in the sixth to pull the Cubs to within 5-3. Catcher Miguel Montero, hitting .111 in his previous seven games, hit a solo homer to make it 5-4 later in the frame.
Rizzo also homered in the fourth and was robbed of extra bases in the eighth on a great catch by center fielder Denard Span up against the wall.
The Nationals had added an insurance run in the seventh to make it 6-4 on a run-scoring double by catcher Wilson Ramos. His two-out liner into the right-center gap -- his second hit of the game -- scored third baseman Anthony Rendon.
Pinch-hitter Dan Uggla had an RBI double in the eighth to build the margin to 7-4.
Washington starter and winner Tanner Roark (2-2) allowed six hits (three homers) and four runs in 5 2/3 innings. Blake Treinen pitched a perfect eighth -- thanks to the catch by Span -- for the Nationals and closer Drew Storen got his league-leading 18th save despite giving up an RBI single in the ninth to left fielder Chris Coghlan.
The loser was Tsuyoshi Wada (0-1), who has not gone six innings in any of his four starts. With the victory Washington (30-25) broke a three-game losing skid while the Cubs (28-25) lost for the fifth time in eight outings.
Shortstop Ian Desmond also had two hits and two runs for the Nationals. Espinosa could have had a fourth RBI but his hit in the fourth was ruled a ground-rule double when the ball got stuck under the fence down the left-field line. Desmond would have been able to score easily from first.
In the previous 15 home contests for the Nationals the games had been decided by one or two runs 10 times, with Washington winning eight of those. Washington had scored just eight runs in the previous five contests.
Washington Espinosa hit a three-run homer to left to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead in the second. It was the seventh homer of the year for Espinosa but just his second homer and second RBI from the right side of the plate in 32 at-bats.
He crushed a 2-2 pitch over the Cubs bullpen in left to Ramos, who led off with a walk and went to second when Desmond ripped a double to left. Espinosa entered the game hitting .355 as a right-handed hitter and .216 from the left side.
The Cubs trimmed the lead to 3-1 when Rizzo hit a solo homer -- his 10th of the year -- in the fourth off Washington starter Tanner Roark. A native of Illinois, Roark had retired the first 10 batters before Rizzo went deep to right.
Washington upped the margin to 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Michael A. Taylor, the left fielder, had a sacrifice fly and Span had an RBI single.
Wada allowed nine hits and five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He was replaced in the fourth by former Washington pitcher Edwin Jackson, who got Rendon to pop out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
NOTES: Washington INF Yunel Escobar, who left Thursday's game after striking out in the first inning, was not in the starting lineup Friday due to a sore right wrist. He is hitting .316 and played in 50 of the first 54 games. ... Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo entered the game ranked seventh in the National League in hitting at .321 and fifth in doubles with 16. ... The scheduled starters for the Saturday afternoon game are Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (4-2, 2.82) against Washington RHP Joe Ross (0-0, 0.00), who will make his major league debut. ... Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman entered play Friday hitting only .151 (8-for-53) in his last 15 games. He was moved into the No. 2 hole on Friday after batting fifth most of the year.