Nationals take opening series in Chicago with 6-3 win over Cubs
[March 30, 2026]
CHICAGO (AP) — Joey Wiemer and Keibert Ruiz homered and the
Washington Nationals earned a season-opening series win with a 6-3
victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
Jake Irvin (1-0) allowed two runs and three hits with seven strikeouts
and a walk in five innings and Clayton Beeter, the last of four
Washington relievers, worked a clean ninth for his first save.
Washington took two of three in the series. |
Washington Nationals Keibert Ruiz (20) celebrates hitting a two-run home
run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs
at Wrigley Field on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Geoff
Stellfox) |
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Alex Bregman hit two solo home runs — his first since joining
the Cubs as a free agent — and Ian Happ added one.
Brady House and Daylen Lile hit consecutive two-out singles off
Shota Imanaga (0-1) in the first and Wiemer followed with his
second homer of the season to give Washington a 3-0 lead.
Imanaga also gave up Wiemer’s leadoff triple in the fourth, but
stranded him there with three straight outs. Wiemer was 3 for 3
with a walk.
Ruiz added a two-run homer off reliever Hoby Milner in the
eighth.
Bregman, who signed a five-year, $175 million contract in
January, hit a solo shot to center to start the fourth and Happ
added his second of the season two pitches later to make it 3-2.
Bregman added an eighth-inning solo shot to right field off
Cionel Pérez.
Imanaga was pulled after walking the leadoff man in the sixth.
He gave up six hits and four runs while walking two and striking
out seven.
Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews, who captained the Chicago
Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups, threw out the ceremonial first
pitch.
Up next
Nationals: at Phillies where Washington's Foster Griffin faces
Philadelphia's Taijuan Walker on Monday.
Cubs: host Angels. Ryan Johnson starts for Los Angeles against
Chicago's Edward Cabrera on Monday.
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