Cubs 8, Nationals 5
CHICAGO -- Addison Russell dropped a bases-loaded double down the right-field line for two go-ahead runs as the Chicago Cubs went on to beat the Washington Nationals 8-5 on Saturday and claim their eighth series win in nine tries.
Russell broke the 5-5 tie with two out in the seventh inning of a see-saw game, sending reliever Shawn Kelley's 2-2 pitch to right to score Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo for a 7-5 lead.
The Cubs (23-6) ran their winning streak to six while the Nationals (19-11) suffered their third straight loss -- all to Chicago.
Neither Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez or Cubs starter Jason Hammel figured in decisions.
Adam Warren (3-0) -- the fifth of seven Cubs pitchers -- earned the win after facing three batters in the seventh. Hector Rondon worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Left hander Sammy Solis, the third of five Washington pitchers, fell to 0-1 after giving up two runs on two hits in 2/3 of an inning.
The Cubs added another run in the eighth as Ben Zobrist's one-out single scored Fowler from third after loading the bases on Nationals reliever Felipe Rivero.
Russell went 2-for-3 with a walk, one run scored and three RBIs. Dexter Fowler and Rizzo also had two hits for the Cubs. Ben Revere and Stephen Drew each had two hits for the Nationals.
Washington opened the scoring after Revere doubled to lead off the third, reached third base on a sacrifice grounder and scored on Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly to deep right.
Chicago quickly replied as Tim Federowicz singled to left with one out, was sacrificed to second and came home as Fowler lined a triple to left-center -- his second of the season -- to even the score.
Bryant shook out of an 1-for-8 homestand slump with a fourth-inning leadoff home run. Bryant's fifth homer of the season -- a solo shot -- came on an 0-2 pitch from Gonzalez and gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
The Nationals forced a 2-2 tie in the fifth as Jose Lobaton led off with a walk, advanced on back-to-back sacrifice grounders and scored when Danny Espinosa dribbled a grounder just past Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist.
Espinosa reached second as Harper walked and later scored to make it 3-2 on Ryan Zimmerman's base hit to center.
Hammel departed after five innings and 97 pitches, allowing three runs on four hits while walking four and striking out three.
Washington made it 4-2 in the sixth when Drew doubled home Anthony Rendon off Cubs right-handed reliever Spencer Patton with none out. But Chicago escaped any more damage when Gonzalez later grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Chicago scored three runs after two were out in the bottom of the inning.
Russell's two-out base hit to center drove in Rizzo from third for the first run and spelled the end for Gonzalez, who departed for right-hander Blake Treinen.
Treinen walked pinch hitter Tommy La Stella to load the bases. Solis then entered and gave up a two-run single to pinch hitter Ryan Kalish as Jorge Soler and Russell scored for a 5-4 Cubs lead.
Gonzalez finished with an even 100 pitches while allowing five runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out a pair.
Revere led off the seventh with a triple to the right-field corner and scored for a 5-5 tie on Zimmerman's fielder's choice grounder to third.
NOTES: Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy wasn't in Saturday's starting lineup after collecting his second four-hit game in three days in Friday's 8-6 loss to the Cubs. ... Despite back-to-back losses to the Cubs in the series' first two games, the Nationals are still off to the best start since moving to Washington from Montreal in 2005. ... The 19-10 record through 29 games is the fourth best by any D.C.-based team. Washington Senators' teams in 1925, 1930 and 1932 started 20-9. ... Following Sunday's series finale, the Nationals return home to open a three-game series on Monday against Detroit. ... Saturday's game was just the Cubs' 13th at home, tied for fewest in the major leagues with Cleveland and Detroit. ... Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (6-0, 0.84 ERA) goes for a major league-leading seventh victory in Sunday's series finale against Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (2-2, 2.35). ... The Cubs remain home, opening a three-game series against San Diego on Monday.