Nats fall to Cubs 6-1, lose weekend series
Washington hitters were overmatched by Cubs starter Rich Harden on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field in the series finale. Chicago won the game, 6-1, and in the process evened the season series at three wins apiece.
Harden struck out 11, matching his career high, including the side in the seventh. The Nationals managed just two hits off Harden, who improved to 9-2 on the season; 4-1 with the Cubs.
Jason Bergmann tossed 6 1/3 solid innings, allowing four runs on four hits, but he walked four and gave up two homers, accounting for the first three Cubs runs. All four hits were for extra bases. The loss gives Bergmann 10 on the season.
In the second, Bergmann served up a lead-off homer to Mark DeRosa, his third in the three game series. Next batter Jim Edmonds walked. Geovany Soto followed with his 19th home run of the year to give Chicago a 3-0 lead.
Austin Kearns got a run back in the third when his fly ball to left curled around the foul pole for a home run. It was Kearns seventh homer of the season. After the homer, Harden retired 15 of the last 16 Nationals he faced.
Bergmann settled down after the three-run second and allowed just four base runners the rest of the afternoon. He retired 14 of the last 18 Cubs, but he allowed a one-out double in the seventh before being replaced by Steven Shell.
Shell tried to sneak a 2-0 fastball by pinch-hitter Kosuke Fukudome, but Fukudome crushed it over the wall in right for a two-run homer and a 5-1 lead.
Ryan Zimmerman's throwing error allowed Alfonso Soriano to reach base. Ryan Theriot singled to put runners on the corners and Aramis Ramirez grounded into a fielder's choice to score Soriano with the Cubs sixth run.
The Nationals had a chance to get back in the game in the eighth against reliever Carlos Marmol, but failed to score. With one out, Kearns reached on an error. One out later pinch-hitter Ryan Langerhans walked and Willie Harris hit an infield single to load the bases.
On a 3-2 pitch, Cristian Guzman struck out looking on a very questionable call. Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez rung up Guzman on a pitch that was at least a foot inside.
Former Notre Dame football star Jeff Samardzija tossed a scoreless ninth.
Postgame Notes
Ryan Zimmerman struck out four times in four at bats.
Every starter struck out at least once except for Anderson Hernandez.
Steven Shell allowed two runs on two hits in just 1/3 inning of work.
Joel Hanrahan pitched a scoreless eighth.
The Nationals have lost their last five series.
Washington returns home on Tuesday to begin a 9-game homestand. Los Angeles is the first team to visit Nationals Park to begin a 3-game set.
Final Linescore
Nationals 1-4-1
Cubs 6-7-1
WP-Harden (9-2)
LP-Bergmann (2-10)
HR-DeRosa (18), Soto (19), Kearns (7), Fukudome (9)
Pete McElroy's Live Gameblog
Cubs scoring, 7th inning
Jason Bergmann had a good outing, but it wasn't good enough as Cubs starter Rich Harden out pitched him.
Bergmann got the first out in the seventh before allowing a double to Mike Fontenot. Manny Acta opted for Steven Shell and that decision didn't work out too well. Shell gave up a two-run, pinch-hit, home run to Kosuke Fukudome to give the Cubs a 5-1 lead.
Ryan Zimmerman's throwing error allowed Alfonso Sorino to reach base. A single moved him to third and Soriano scored on a fielders choice ground out to give Chicago a five-run lead.
Bergmann's solid afternoon
Jason Bergmann has settled down since giving up three runs, on two homers, in the second. He allowed a lead-off bloop double in the sixth, but got out of the inning with out allowing a run. In the seventh, he gave up a one-out double before being lifted by Manny Acta. All in all, not a bad day, but nnot good enough.
6 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 6 K, 2 HR. 112 pitches, 64 strikes.
Harden's 11 K effort
Rich Harden has allowed two hits and struck out 11 in seven innings. One of the hits was a solo home run by Austin Kearns in the third. Harden matched a career-high with the 11 K's. He didn't walk a batter while throwing 109 pitches, 77 for strikes.
7 IP, 2 H, R, 0 BB, 11 K, HR.
Bergmann thru 3 innings
Jason is throwing a ton of pitches thru the first three frames and he's already isued three free passes. After a rough second inning, where he gave up two home runs, he retired the side in order in the third.
3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR. 60 pitches, 34 strikes.
Nats scoring, 3rd inning
Austin Kearns hit his seventh home run of the season to cut into the Cubs lead. Kearns dinger was his first since August 10th at Milwaukee.
Cubs scoring, 2nd inning
For the third straight game against the Nationals and fourth overall, Mark DeRosa hit a home run. His solo homer, leading off the second, put the Cubs up 1-0. Two batters later, Geovany Soto hit a 2-run shot to give Chicago a 3-0 lead. Bergmann has given up 22 long balls this season.
Starting Line-Ups
Nationals
LF Willie Harris
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
CF Lastings Milledge
1B Ronnie Belliard
C Jesus Flores
RF Austin Kearns
2B Anderson Hernandez
P Jason Bergman
Cubs
LF Alfonso Soriano
SS Ryan Theriot
3B Aramis Ramirez
1B Daryle Ward
RF Mark DeRosa
CF Jim Edmonds
C Geovany Soto
2B Mike Fontenot
P Rich Harden
Game Preview
Nationals (46-84) at Chicago (79-50)
The Nationals wrap up their 6-game road trip this afternoon. A win will give Washington a 3-3 record. They can take the season series from Chicago and at worst a .500 record vs. the Cubs.
Yesterday, Ryan Dempster tossed 7 1/3 innings of one run ball in Chicago's 9-2 victory. Aramis Ramirez drove in six runs with a pair of 3-run homers, the first off Nationals starter Odalis Perez, who only lasted only 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs.
Jason Bergmann shoots for his third win of the season. The Cubs counter with Rich Harden, who is looking for his third straight victory.
Pitching Match-Up
RHP Jason Bergmann (2-9, 4.50) is coming off another quality start. He gave up four runs, three earned, in 6 1/3 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out four in the Nationals 5-4 loss to the Phillies.
Leading 1-0, Bergmann gave up a run on a single, double and sac fly in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. In the fifth, Philadelphia scored two runs, one earned, on a triple, an error by Willie Harris in left field, a single and another sac fly to make it a 4-3 game. The Phillies tied the game in the seventh on their third sac fly of the night.
Bergmann is making his third career start against the Cubs. He's 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA. He faced Chicago twice last year with the Nationals losing both games.
On July 5th, he gave up two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in the Cubs' 4-2 win. Aramis Ramirez's RBI single gave Chicago a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Daryl Ward made it 2-0 with an RBI double in the sixth. Washington scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, giving Bergmann a no-decision.
On May 4th, at Wrigley Field, Bergmann was roughed up, giving up five runs, four earned on eight hits in six innings in the Cubs 6-4 win.
Bergmann is making his ninth daytime start. He's 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA when the sun is up. This also marks his 11th road start of the season. Bergmann is 2-6 with a 3.84 ERA away from Nationals Park.
RHP Rich Harden (8-2, 2.04) has been outstanding since he joined the Cubs. He is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in seven starts for Chicago and has won his last two starts without giving up a run in 12 innings.
In his last two starts, Harden has allowed four hits, two in each game. In his last start on August 19th, Harden tossed seven scoreless innings of two hit ball. He didn't walk a batter and struck out 10, the fourth time he's recorded double digit strike outs in a Cubs uniform.
Harden, who was acquired in a trade with the A's on July 8th, has allowed more than one run once in his seven outings. The Cubs are 5-2 when he starts.
Harden is 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA in four starts at Wrigley Field this season. In day games, he is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA. He has never faced the Nationals in his career.
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