WASHINGTON (AP) — Nico Hoerner had two hits and scored two runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the sloppy Washington Nationals 5-3 on Saturday for their fifth straight win.
Javier Assad pitched six innings of three-run ball as Chicago won for the eighth time in nine games overall. The Cubs (70-66), who are trying to make up ground in the race for the last NL wild card, also improved to 18-8 in August.
José Tena went 3 for 3 for Washington, and Andrés Chaparro connected for his second career homer.
The Nationals put two runners on in the ninth, but Porter Hodge struck out Dylan Crews and James Wood for his third save.
