Ian Happ leads Cubs to easy win over Nationals

Ian Happ had three hits including a home run to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-1 victory over the host Washington Nationals on Thursday.

Happ hit a two-run homer and added an RBI double and RBI single while Pete Crow-Armstrong added a two-run homer for the Cubs, who took the rubber game of the season and have won eight of 10. Matt Shaw had three hits, stole two bases and scored twice.

Colin Rea (4-2), who replaced opener Drew Pomeranz to start the second inning, pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits with a walk and no strikeouts.

Washington starter Jake Irvin (5-2) gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked two.

CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III and Luis Garcia Jr. each had two hits for the Nationals.

After being shut out for just the third time this season on Wednesday, the Cubs jumped on Irvin in the first. Kyle Tucker doubled with one out and Crow-Armstrong homered to center giving Chicago a 2-0 lead.

Tucker was 1-for-4 with two walks in his return to the lineup after jamming a finger on Sunday.

Abrams led off the Washington first with a single but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.

Shaw singled leading off the second and scored on Happ's double.

The Nationals made another out on the bases in the third when Hassell singled to left but was thrown out at second by Happ. Abrams then doubled and Amed Rosario singled him to third, but James Wood flied out.

In the sixth, Reese McGuire singled off Jackson Rutledge to lead off the inning and Happ homered to right in the following at-bat to make it 5-0.

Josh Bell doubled with one out in the Washington seventh and Alex Call was hit by a pitch. Caleb Thielbar replaced Rea and got Garcia to pop out. Hassell singled to load the bases, but Thielbar caught Abrams looking at strike three.

In the ninth, the Cubs got RBI singles from McGuire and Happ to make it 7-0.

Garcia singled home Daylen Lile in the bottom half for the 7-1 final.

--Field Level Media