Swanson, Smyly shine in win over Nationals |
WASHINGTON D.C. - Anytime you get swept in a weekend series like the Chicago Cubs (15-13) did against the Miami Marlins, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. This was a team that was playing outstanding baseball and then proceeded to drop three-straight one-run decisions against a team that had yet to lose in a one-run game.
The good news is that plenty of things went wrong in that series that can be fixed, and most of them are simple fixes that can make a big difference. The best part about baseball is the ability to play 162 games, which allows teams to flush a bad taste out of their mouths and move on. What better way to do that than by hitting the road to take on the Washington Nationals (10-18) at Nationals Park? Led by Drew Smyly, who has now allowed two runs or less in 12 of his last 14 starts, the Cubs offense did more than enough against Mackenzie Gore as the Cubs put an end to their losing streak by topping the Nationals 5-1. Although Justin Steele has been getting the most attention given the run he is on, Smyly deserves some talk also, as his run over his last 12 starts is one of the better runs of his career. Despite only striking out two Nationals on Monday, Smyly was dialed in and needed only 84 pitches to get through seven innings. He allowed one run on six hits in those seven innings and lowered his ERA to 2.83 to give the Cubs three starters with a sub-3.00 ERA. When it comes to the Nationals, Gore has to be viewed as their best pitcher right now, especially when you consider that Stephen Strasburg is on the IL yet again. Entering the game with a 3-1 record and an ERA hovering around 3.00, the Cubs made Gore work as he threw 102 pitches in just four innings. He struck out four but allowed four runs as the Cubs capitalized on him early. For the Cubs to be at their best, they need to start fast, which they did on Monday. Cody Bellinger started the party with a perfectly placed two-out single in the first before stealing his fifth base to move into scoring position. That proved pivotal, with Seiya Suzuki crushing one the opposite way for an RBI single that put the Cubs in front 1-0. カブス 鈴木誠也
Suzuki would come around to score a few pitches later after Trey Mancini ripped one off the left field wall for the double as the Cubs held an early 2-0 lead. Given an early lead, Smyly was able to settle in and relax, which helped him retire the first five hitters he faced. That was followed by a Lane Thomas solo shot to deep center field to put the Nationals on the board, but they still trailed the Cubs 2-1 in the second. Little did either of those teams know that the Thomas homer would be the only run of the day for Washington as the Cubs pitching continued to do their thing on the mound. Even with the Cubs keeping the pressure on and making Gore work throughout the game's early stages, Gore continued to battle as he overcame a Dansby Swanson double and Suzuki walk in the third to keep the game close. Speaking of Swanson, Washington is one of the few teams he has handled well during his career, and he has had more success against this team than anyone. After Nico Hoerner extended his on-base streak with a leadoff single in the fifth, Swanson took Gore deep to push the Cubs lead to 4-1. It was the 13th career homer for Swanson against the Nationals since he broke into the league in 2016, which is the most he has had against any opponent. Dansby Swanson - Chicago Cubs (2) pic.twitter.com/dFWUTJJE1g
That homer was the end of the line for Gore, as it was up to the National's pen to try and keep things close. To their credit, they did a phenomenal job of doing that, but when Smyly was on his game as much as he was, it was challenging for the offense to do anything. Even with Dominic Smith and Luis Garcia picking up leadoff hits in the fifth and sixth innings, Smyly kept the Nationals off the board as his ability to rely on his curveball remains the biggest X-Factor in his repertoire. Following his strong start on the mound, David Ross turned to his pen and called on Mark Leiter Jr to pitch the eighth. The right-hander delivered his best outing of the season as he struck out the side while making it look relatively easy in the process. Looking for more insurance runs in the ninth, Ian Happ came through against former Chicago Cubs farmhand Cory Abbott as Happ rode one out to right center field to push the lead to 5-1. Ian Happ - Chicago Cubs (3)
Initially given the night off, Happ replaced Nelson Velazquez after the sixth inning and proceeded to go 2-2 with a homer. Looking to close things out in the ninth, Brad Boxberger took to the mound after not pitching at all last weekend. That rest did him well as he retired the Nationals in order to end the game and gave the Cubs a 5-1 win on the road. The Cubs had 10 hits in the game, with most coming from the top half of the order. Swanson led the way with three hits and two RBIs, while Happ added two hits with one RBI. This series will continue on Tuesday night as Hayden Wesneski takes on another former Cub, Trevor Williams, at 6:05 PM CDT.
第1打席：タイムリーヒット
2023年5月2日 vsナショナルズ#鈴木誠也 #カブス
Seiya Suzuki Chicago Cubs pic.twitter.com/OfTxpQS8Xr
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