Cubs 4, Nationals 2
WASHINGTON -- Right-hander Jason Hammel allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings and center fielder Dexter Fowler had two hits and scored twice as the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Saturday.
Hammel (5-2) is now 9-0 in his career against the Nationals, with two of those wins coming with the Cubs. The only other active pitcher with such success against one team is Philadelphia lefty Cole Hamels, who is 9-0 against the Cincinnati Reds.
Hammel allowed a leadoff homer to right fielder Bryce Harper, who two hits, in the ninth to make it 4-2. Hector Rondon came in and walked third baseman Anthony Rendon, but Pedro Strop got the last three outs for his second save.
The game was a contrast in starting pitchers as right-hander Joe Ross (0-1) made his major league debut for Washington while Hammel made the 198th start of a career that began in 2006 with Tampa Bay. Ross allowed three runs and six hits in five innings before Felipe Rivero took over in the sixth and pitched three scoreless innings.
Fowler and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (two hits) had back-to-back RBI singles with two outs in the fifth off Ross to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead. Chicago made it 4-1 in the ninth on a bloop RBI single to center by second baseman Jonathan Herrera, who also had two hits.
Kris Bryant, the Cubs third baseman, had an RBI single in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1.
The Nationals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo homer by Wilson Ramos, the Washington catcher. The ball landed just above the Cubs bullpen in left and was chased down by a fan wearing a Cubs jersey.
Hammel then retired the next 11 batters before second baseman Danny Espinosa drew a two-out walk in the fifth.
Ross had retired the first nine hitters before Fowler lined a clean single to right to start the fourth.
Fowler was almost retired a few pitches earlier on a foul pop down the left field line that third baseman Anthony Rendon got a glove on during a diving attempt.
Ross was acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres in December. He is the second rookie to make his big-league debut as a starter this year for the Nationals, who currently have veteran starters Doug Fister and Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list.
A.J. Cole started for the Nationals on April 28 against the Braves in Atlanta. Ross was taking the turn of Strasburg, who went on the disabled list May 30 with neck tightness.
Rizzo had a single in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, a career high. The Cubs (29-25) have won two of the first three games in the series while Washington (30-26) has lost seven of its last nine.
NOTES: The scheduled starters for the series finale on Sunday are Washington RHP Jordan Zimmermann (5-2, 2.88 ERA) against Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-2, 3.99 ERA). ... Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo, who hit two homers on Friday, entered play Saturday tied for fourth in the National League with 115 total bases. ... Washington INF Yunel Escobar, who left Thursday's game in the first inning with a sore wrist, did not play Friday and was not in the starting lineup on Saturday. ... Washington RHP Joe Ross is the younger brother of San Diego RHP Tyler Ross, who got the win Friday as he pitched five innings at Cincinnati against the Reds. Joe Ross was at Double-A Harrisburg before he was called up to the Nationals. To make room for Ross on the 25-man roster, the Nationals sent RHP A.J. Cole to Triple-A Syracuse. Washington also transferred RHP Craig Stamnen to the 60-day disabled list. ... Cubs SS Starlin Castro got the day off and was out of the starting lineup for the first time this year after 53 games.