Imanaga, Chicago Cubs Shut Down Nationals 5-0

The Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals on Sunday 5-0. The Cubs, who were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday, saw Sunday’s game delayed almost two hours due to rain. But the wait didn’t affect Chicago starter Shota Imanaga.

Imanaga baffled Washington hitters for seven innings, recording his sixth consecutive quality start and setting the pace for all of MLB with the best team record in a starter’s outings at 23-7.

Shota Imanaga Shines for Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs’ offense helped out Imanaga from the first hitter on. Mike Tauchman led off with a home run off Washington starter Jake Irvin. Irvin struggled through four frames, giving up all five Cubs runs—including four on three home runs from Tauchman, Michael Busch, and Miguel Amaya. The Washington Nationals bullpen stopped the bleeding and blanked the Cubs for the rest of the game. But with a stagnant offense throughout, it was to no avail.

Chicago clinched a series victory. Shota Imanaga dazzled for seven innings. Despite the disappointing season, Imanaga wasn’t fazed by the rain delay. He had tremendous control throughout his entire outing. Imanaga did not allow a walk and only surrendered hits when the Nationals made quick adjustments on tough pitches.

Irvin couldn’t put pitches on the corners and fell behind hitters throughout his four-inning outing. Mike Tauchman and his homer gave the Cubs an early lead. After Tauchman’s home run, Chicago plated another run in the first when Seiya Suzuki hit a blooper over the infield, allowing Dansby Swanson to score after the Chicago Cubs shortstop walked and stole second base.

The Cubs added three more runs off Irvin in the fourth inning on a pair of home runs. Michael Busch turned on an inside fastball for a solo shot to start the inning, then Miguel Amaya smashed a two-run homer later to push the Chicago lead to 5-0. The Cubs would threaten in the later innings but were unable to extend their lead any further.

Cubs Bullpen Stops Nationals

After seven innings, Imanaga gave the game over to the Chicago Cubs bullpen. Ethan Roberts was tapped to work the eighth and got himself into a jam. With runners at the corners, Washington manager Dave Martinez sent Joey Gallo to the plate as a pinch hitter. Earlier in the series, Gallo launched a pinch-hit three-run home run and the Nationals skipper was hoping for a similar jolt, and almost got it. Gallo laced a Roberts cutter down the right-field line that was originally ruled a double before a replay review revealed it to be a foul ball. The Nationals wouldn’t threaten to score again in the game.

Roberts struck out Gallo and induced a grounder from pinch-hitter Luis Garcia Jr. to escape the threat unscathed. Trey Wingenter worked a perfect ninth inning in his return to the major-league roster and gave the Cubs their third win of the four-game series. The Cubs travel to Philadelphia for a three-game series against the Phillies starting Monday at 5:40 PM CST.