Cubs Extend Winning Streak to Six with 14-1 Rout of Nationals
Dansby Swanson’s four-hit game and Jordan Wicks’ solid pitching lead the Chicago Cubs to a 14-1 victory over the Washington Nationals, extending their winning streak to six games.
Bollywood Fever: The Chicago Cubs continued their hot streak on Sunday, overwhelming the Washington Nationals with a dominant 14-1 victory, marking their season-high sixth consecutive win.
Dansby Swanson led the charge with four hits, while rookie pitcher Jordan Wicks delivered five strong innings on his 25th birthday.
The Cubs (71-66) showcased their offensive firepower, racking up 18 hits in total. Isaac Paredes contributed three RBIs, with Cody Bellinger, Nico Hoerner, and Miguel Amaya each driving in two runs.
The win capped off an impressive 8-1 road trip, which included stops in Miami and Pittsburgh, as Chicago looks to solidify their position in the NL wild-card race.
The Cubs have been on fire since July 31, going 20-8, and have scored a remarkable 99 runs in their last 10 games.
“Up and down the lineup, we had guys doing stuff,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell. “You can’t ask for anything more on offense than we got this trip.”
Wicks (2-2), making his first major league appearance since June 14 after recovering from a right oblique strain, pitched effectively, allowing just one run and four hits.
“It felt good to go out there and get into game shape,” Wicks said. “You can’t really mimic being on a big league field in a big league atmosphere and facing hitters like that. Everything felt great, and I was happy to just settle in.”
The Nationals (61-76), meanwhile, continued to struggle, dropping a season-high 15 games under .500 and suffering their eighth series sweep of the season.
One bright spot for Washington was the debut of Darren Baker, the son of former big league manager Dusty Baker.
Darren singled to center on the first pitch he saw as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.
Washington’s left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-9) had a mixed outing, striking out eight over six innings but allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits.
The Nationals’ defense faltered, committing three errors, including a crucial misplay by third baseman José Tena in the fourth inning that allowed Hoerner to score from first base.
“We’ve got to catch the baseball,” said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. “It was awful today. I can’t say nothing about it. Our defense was not there. I thought Mitch threw the ball really well. We’ve got to play defense behind him.”
The Cubs sealed the game with a seven-run outburst in the ninth inning, their most productive inning of the season, against Washington’s rookie relievers Zack Brzykcy and Orlando Ribalta. Chicago’s seven hits during the rally underscored their offensive dominance.
With this victory, the Cubs continue to build momentum as they chase a playoff spot, while the Nationals will look to regroup after another tough loss.
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