Keegan Thompson pitched six effective innings, rookies Nelson Velázquez and Christopher Morel homered in the third inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 6-3 Monday night.
Thompson didn’t walk a batter for the second time in three starts while scattering five hits over six innings. Luke Voit hit a homer off Thompson with one out in the sixth to end Thompson’s shutout bid.
Anibal Sanchez pitched five-plus innings, the longest outing by a Nationals starter during their losing streak. But Sanchez was pulled after surrendering singles to Seiya Suzuki and Patrick Wisdom to start the sixth. Nico Hoerner then hit reliever Steve Cishek’s first pitch for a single to center field to score Suzuki.
Morel, nursing a tight right hamstring, made his second start at third base. He committed a throwing error that placed runners at second and third with two out in the seventh, but reliever Michael Rucker struck out Victor Robles to end the threat.