Dansby Swanson had four hits, Isaac Paredes had two hits and drove in three runs and the visiting Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 14-1 on Sunday for their sixth straight win.
Pete Crow-Armstrong added three hits and scored twice for the Cubs, who scored 26 runs in sweeping the three-game series.
Chicago has won nine of 10 and began the day four games behind the Braves for the final National League wild-card spot.
Cubs starter Jordan Wicks (2-2) went five innings in his return from the injured list. In his first start since June 14, he allowed one run on four hits without a walk or a strikeout.
Washington’s Darren Baker, son of former Nationals manager Dusty Baker, was called up Sunday and singled in his first major league at-bat in the ninth inning.
Nationals rookie Mitchell Parker (7-9) gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits in six innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out eight.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second but could have had more. James Wood singled and Juan Yepez doubled him to third. CJ Abrams reached on an infield hit to load the bases, but Keibert Ruiz grounded into a double play, scoring a run, and Luis Garcia Jr. flied out.
Chicago relied on big innings throughout the series, and they produced three on Sunday.
Crow-Armstrong singled leading off the third. With one out, Parker’s pick-off throw was wide, and Crow-Armstrong raced to third, later scoring on Ian Happ’s single. Swanson doubled to put runners on second and third. With two outs, Paredes lined a single to right, scoring two runs to make it 3-1.
Nico Hoerner singled leading off the fourth. Crow-Armstrong hit a ground ball to third baseman Jose Tena, whose throw to first was wild, allowing Hoerner to score.
In the seventh, Swanson singled with one out and Seiya Suzuki doubled him to third. They both scored on Cody Bellinger’s single to right. Bellinger moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Paredes’ single for a 7-1 lead.
Hoerner’s two-run single and Miguel Amaya’s two-run double highlighted a seven-run ninth as Chicago blew it open.
–Field Level Media