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Cubs Roll Nationals

Ian Happ homered twice and drove in three runs, helping Chicago beat the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Thursday.

 

Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras got the day off for rest, but the Cubs went ahead to stay on Happ's two-run shot into the basket in right with two out in the third inning. He also led off the fifth with his sixth homer on a 0-2 pitch from Austin Voth with the wind blowing out on a warm afternoon at Wrigley Field.

 

Nick Martini had a sacrifice fly and Joc Pederson singled home a run as Chicago won for the fifth time in seven games.

 

It was Happ's first multihomer game since Sept. 5 against St. Louis and No. 8 for his big league career. The switch-hitting outfielder is batting .375 (12 for 32) with five homers and 10 RBIs in eight May games.

 

Pederson also is rolling along nicely for Chicago, which moved back over .500 at 22-21. He collected two more hits and is batting .417 (20 for 48) in his last 12 games.

 

Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber hit back-to-back homers for Washington in the first, but Joe Ross (2-4) lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his second straight loss. The right-hander was charged with four runs, two earned, and five hits.

 

The Cubs' bullpen has a scoreless streak of 17 1/3 innings over the team's last five games. It began the day with a 3.24 ERA for the season, second-best in the NL.

 

Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 5.27 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis. RHP Carlos Martinez (3-4, 4.35 ERA) takes the mound for the NL Central-leading Cardinals.

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