Gibson, Phillies down Nationals

PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Gibson retired his first 18 batters and pitched one-run ball over eight innings, Kyle Schwarber hit his NL-leading 34th homer and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 7-2 on Friday night.

Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, Nick Castellanos and Darick Hall also homered for the Phillies, who have won eight of nine to solidify their standing in the race for the NL’s third and final wild-card position. The victory moved Philadelphia 10 games over .500 for the first time since they were 37-27 on June 8, 2019.

Gibson overpowered Washington’s lineup, weakened significantly after the club traded Juan Soto and Josh Bell to San Diego this week.

He struck out four, allowed two hits and hit two batters over 105 pitches.

Gibson forced 12 groundball outs, including a sparkling backhand defensive play by third baseman Alec Bohm on a hard-hit ball by Ildemaro Vargas to end the sixth.

Washington’s Victor Robles broke up the perfect game by getting plunked with a fastball in his left forearm to begin the seventh inning. The next batter, Luis Garcia, ended Gibson’s no-hit bid with a clean single into left field over the glove of Bohm.

Gibson surrendered his only run in the eighth, when Vargas lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Lane Thomas. Garcia scored Washington’s second run in the ninth off reliever Brad Hand.

Cubs 2, Marlins 1: Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, Justin Steele matched a career high with 10 strikeouts and the Chicago defeated Miami at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs looked like they were on the way to their sixth straight loss before Contreras drove an 0-1 pitch from Dylan Floro (0-1) to left-center with one out in the eighth for his 16th homer, waking up a sleepy crowd.

Chicago’s only hits prior to Contreras’ homer were singles by Nick Madrigal leading off the sixth and eighth. Happ also doubled in the eighth.

Steele went 42⁄3 innings, allowing four hits and walking one while throwing 93 pitches. Rowan Wick (3-5) got the final four outs for the Cubs.

Miami’s Edward Cabrera threw five hitless innings in his first start since June 12. The 24-year-old Dominican had been sidelined because of right elbow tendinitis.

Joey Wendle singled in a run in the seventh for the Marlins, who lost for the sixth time in seven games thanks to Contreras’ homer.