Cubs edge Nats to keep streak alive
CHICAGO: Addison Russell dropped in a tie-breaking, two-run double in the seventh inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 8-5 on Saturday for their sixth straight victory.
Kris Bryant homered and Ben Zobrist had an RBI for the sixth game in a row as the Cubs took the match-up of NL division leaders.
Chicago have won 10 of 11 and improved the best record in the majors to 23-6. The Nationals have the league’s second-best record but have lost three straight.
Russell finished with three RBIs. He’s now 10-for-32 (.313) with 16 RBIs with runners in scoring position this season.
“It’s fun,” Russell said. “Just try to slow the game down, just try to do your best to perform out there and just try to have some fun with it.”
It was 5-5 when the Cubs loaded the bases with two outs, and Russell hit a flyball to right that just landed fair. Zobrist singled home a run in the eighth. He has 15 RBIs in his last six games.
New York Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon became the oldest player to hit his first major league home run, connecting just prior to his 43rd birthday to help the Mets to a 6-3 victory at San Diego.
Colon’s impressive two-run drive off James Shields into the seats in the left field corner gave the Mets a 4-0 lead with two outs in the second.
Colon (3-1) watched the ball all the way, and didn’t toss his bat until he was well more than halfway to first base. The portly pitcher’s trot around the bases took about 30 seconds.
When he returned to the dugout, his teammates were hiding in the tunnel before coming out to mob him.
Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run homer for the Mets.
In New York, Nathan Eovaldi pitched eight effective innings and Didi Gregorius hit a three-run double as the Yankees handed David Price his first Red Sox loss.
Carlos Beltran added a two-run double for the Yankees, whose 8-2 victory was their third win in four after a six-game slide.