WASHINGTON — The Chicago Cubs caught a break this week when NL MVP Kris Bryant avoided serious injury, suffering only a sprained right ankle after stumbling over third base whle catching a popup on Wednesday.
The Washington Nationals were not nearly as lucky with shortstop Trea Turner.
Oh, and that bullpen is still troublesome, too.
Jon Jay hit a go-ahead two-run double during a three-run ninth-inning rally against Blake Treinen, lifting the Cubs over the Nationals 5-4 on Thursday.
Washington got more bad news after the game: Turner has a broken his right wrist after being hit by a pitch. The team did not have a timetable for his return.
Turner was hit by Pedro Strop’s fastball in the seventh, but remained in the game until Stephen Drew entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth.
“I didn’t know because I had tape on my wrist, so initially it didn’t really feel that bad,” said Turner, who leads the National League in stolen bases (35) and is tied for sixth in runs scored (53). “After a little while, it started stiffening up on me, so I figured I’d get out of there.”
CUBS 5, NATIONALS 4
Treinen (0-2) then slogged through the bullpen’s 13th blown save this season, tying them with the Phillies and Mets for the National League lead.
Tommy La Stella drove in a run with a two-out single against the right-hander, and Jay followed with a hit to right-center that brought home Javier Baez and La Stella.
“Anytime you get a win like that, especially against a team like that, it’s awesome,” La Stella said. “You never want to say you need a win, because we didn’t, but it was certainly nice to get that one.”
Washington outscored the Cubs 22-15 in the series, but the Cubs managed a split of the four-game series, and Thursday’s victory kept them from falling under .500.
“You’re always looking for that moment, you don’t know until the next day’s game is played,” Cubs Manager Joe Maddon said about the possibility of the game being a turning point. “I loved the way we fought to the very end.”
Wade Davis struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save after Felix Pena (1-0) worked the eighth.
Washington has been looking for an answer at the back of its bullpen all season. Six pitchers have at least one save for Washington, and four of them also have at least two blown saves. Treinen joined that club as his ERA rose to 6.11
“It’s getting exhausting,” Treinen said. “I’m sure they are sick of seeing the same result when I’m out there.”
Manager Dusty Baker was ejected by first-base umpire after Ryan Raburn struck out swinging in the sixth even though replay showed he made contact with Lester’s pitch. Baker’s ejection was his first in two seasons with the Nationals.
Rookie Jeimer Candelario, who started for Bryant at third base, broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh by hitting his first career home run off starter Joe Ross.
Turner stole two bases, bumping his total to seven in the series.
Sports on 06/30/2017