Sluggish Nats offense returns in 4-2 loss

Joe Ross came out aggressive in his major league debut. The 22-year-old right-hander started his big league career with a strikeout after delivering Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler a steady dose of 95 mph heaters. Ross has retired the first nine batters he has faced with three strikeouts.

Wilson Ramos opened the scoring in the second with a massive solo homer to deep left-center that landed among the diners in the Red Porch. The no-doubt shot was Ramos' fourth home run of the season

Update: Ross ran into trouble his second time around the Cubs order. Three consecutive singles from Fowler, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and third baseman Kris Bryant resulted in the Cubs' first run. But Ross battled, showing great composure in retiring the next three hitters to get out of the jam.

Update II: Cubs second baseman Jonathan Herrera singled to start the fifth. After getting Cubs starter Jason Hammel and shortstop Addison Russell to ground out, it looked like Ross would get out of the inning. But Fowler ripped an RBI single to left and then Rizzo drove him in on a double nailed to the corner in right.

Nationals manager Matt Williams ended Ross' afternoon after the the fifth inning. Ross allowed three runs on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts in his debut. He threw 91 pitches. Left-hander Felipe Rivero will start the sixth for the Nationals.

Ramos' homer and a single from Bryce Harper are the only hits the Nats have managed against Hammel.

Update III: Rivero didn't allow a hit over three scoreless innings of relief. It was his longest outing of the season.

The Cubs added an insurance run on an RBI single from Herrera in the eighth.

Aiming for a complete game, Hammel started the ninth and was greeted with by an opposite field homer from Harper. The solo shot is Harper's 19th on the season.

Update IV: The Cubs beat the Nats 4-2.