Washington, DC – Kurt Suzuki hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the second inning, as the Washington Nationals finished off a sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a testy 9-2 victory in the finale of a four-game series.
Ryan Zimmerman added two hits and three RBI for the Nationals, who have won five straight and eight of nine. Adam LaRoche hit a late two-run shot for Washington, the NL East leaders.
Jordan Zimmermann (10-8) allowed five hits and two runs, fanning nine over seven strong innings.
Anthony Rizzo collected three hits, including a solo homer, for the Cubs, losers in six straight and nine of 11.
Justin Germano (2-6) was tagged in defeat for seven hits and seven runs -- six earned -- over four full frames.
Suzuki's longball pushed Washington back in front by a 4-2 score. Ian Desmond doubled with one out and Danny Espinosa was plunked before the blast, which just cleared the wall in left.
The Nats didn't score despite having the bases loaded and one out in the third, but tacked on three more in the fourth on Bryce Harper's single that was compounded by a Starlin Castro error and a two-run hit from Zimmerman.
The benches emptied with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth. Cubs bench coach Jamie Quirk was ejected by home plate umpire Jerry Layne for chirping from the dugout and then engaging Nats third base coach Bo Porter after Jayson Werth swung at a 3-0 pitch with a five-run lead.
The benches and bullpens emptied in the home sixth, when Cubs reliever Lendy Castillo threw behind Harper with the first pitch. When the dust cleared, Cubs catcher Steve Clevenger and reliever Manuel Corpas were given the boot, along with Nationals pitcher Michael Gonzalez.
After Harper fanned looking, Zimmerman followed with a single and Castillo was replaced by Jeff Beliveau, who served up a two-run homer to LaRoche, which was upheld by review.
Tom Gorzelanny and Christian Garcia gave up two hits over the final two innings -- the final one a double by Brett Jackson, which saw the Cubs center fielder tagged out trying to reach third to end the game.
Rizzo's two-out solo homer put Chicago on the board in the top of the first. Harper's one-out triple in the home first turned into the hosts' initial run when Zimmerman followed with an RBI groundout.
Castro and Darwin Barney tripled in the Chicago second to put the visitors ahead.
Game Notes
Washington took six of seven from the Cubs this season ... Chicago last suffered a 4-game sweep to the Nationals/Expos franchise from June 6-9, 1997 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal ... Both clubs are in action on Friday, as the Nationals remain home to host the Marlins and the Cubs continue on the road, to Pittsburgh.
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