Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Thursday 12 OcTOber 2017

Strasburg, Nationals beat Cubs 5-0, force NLDS to Game 5

By JAY COHEN eighth and Sean Doolittle
AP Sports Writer finished the three-hitter,
CHICAGO (AP) — Stephen giving the NL East cham-
Strasburg shook off an ill- pions a chance to avenge
ness and all doubts about years of playoff heartache.
his mettle while pitching Washington also made it to
seven dominant innings, the playoffs in 2012, 2014
Michael A. Taylor hit a and 2016 and fell in the first
late grand slam and the round each time, including
Washington Nationals beat five-game losses to St. Louis
the Chicago Cubs 5-0 on in 2012 and Los Angeles last
Wednesday to send their season.
NL Division Series to a deci- The Nationals jumped in
sive Game 5. front in the third, taking ad-
The teams packed up at vantage of a Chicago er-
Wrigley Field and headed ror for the second straight
back to Washington for game. Trea Turner doubled
Game 5 Thursday night. with one out for his first hit of
Kyle Hendricks starts for the series and advanced
the World Series champion on a wild pitch. Jayson
Cubs after throwing seven Werth struck out look-
sharp innings in a 3-0 victo- ing before Arrieta walked
ry over Strasburg in Game Bryce Harper, putting run-
1. Gio Gonzalez is the likely ners on the corners.
starter for the Nationals, Ryan Zimmerman, who
with Max Scherzer lurking in leads the Nationals with
the bullpen. Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws during the first inning of Game 4 of four RBIs, followed with a
Strasburg got sick after his baseball’s National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, slow roller to shortstop. Ad-
terrific performance in the in Chicago. dison Russell charged the
playoff opener on Friday, Associated Press ball, but he couldn’t bring
and the Nationals had Standing tall as clouds of Wade Davis in the eighth. wards Jr. walked two in a it in. It was Chicago’s sixth
planned to go with Tanner mist rolled through the old Chicago wasted a gutsy row and threw ball one to error of the series, and
Roark even after a persis- ballpark, Strasburg struck performance from Jake Taylor before he was re- reliever Brian Duensing
tent rain washed out Game out 12, allowed three hits Arrieta and solid relief by placed by Davis. Taylor picked up another one on
4 on Tuesday. That led to and walked two in his first Game 2 starter Jon Lester then drove a 1-1 pitch into an errant throw in the ninth.
a flurry of comments and career postseason win. He in its first home playoff loss the basket overhanging Left fielder Kyle Schwarber
criticism about whether the pitched well enough to since Game 4 of the World the brick wall in right field committed two errors on
ace had the right stuff to win Game 1, too, giving up Series last year. NL MVP Kris for his first career homer in one play in Game 3, setting
pitch in big moments. three hits and fanning 10 in Bryant struck out four times, the playoffs. up Washington’s only run in
But Strasburg felt better seven innings, but a pair of and the defending champs Ryan Madson worked the a 2-1 loss. q
when he woke up Wednes- unearned runs saddled him went 0 for 6 with runners in
day and told manager with the loss. scoring position.
Dusty Baker he wanted the This time, another costly Arrieta walked five in four The Gold Mine Ranch
ball with Washington’s sea- error for Chicago brought innings in his return from a
son on the line. home Washington’s first hamstring injury, but lim- OCTOBER SPECIAL
That was all Baker needed run, and Taylor broke it ited Washington to an un-
to hear. open with a grand slam off earned run and two hits.
Lester got the Cubs all the Come with coupon
way to the eighth, picking
off Ryan Zimmerman be- and get $10,- off
fore departing after Daniel per person.
Murphy’s two-out single.
But Chicago’s bullpen fal-
tered from there. Carl Ed- Horseback Riding More Info: 594-1317