Heyward’s single, Rizzo’s walk lift Cubs over Nationals 3-2
Washington Redskins rookie running back Derrius Guice is out for the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee, a significant blow to the ground game.
Guice was injured in Washington’s preseason opener at New England on Thursday night and could be seen on the sideline with ice on his knee. The team announced the prognosis Friday following an MRI, saying Guice should make a full recovery and be ready to play in 2019.
Guice was expected to be the Redskins’ starter after they selected him 59th overall in the draft. The LSU product was considered a first-round prospect and fell amid reports of character concerns before being taken late in the second.
“Grabbing him in the second round was obviously a great treat for us, but character was never a concern,” coach Jay Gruden said recently, pointing Public Notice
Finding of No Significant Impact Post-2200 (10:00 P.M.) High Explosive Ordnance Expenditure and Supersonic Flights Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range Imperial and Riverside Counties, California Proposed to injuries and the quality of running backs as reasons for Guice falling in the draft. “He’s been great, never been late, attentive, great attitude, always happy, happy-go-lucky and fun to be around, quite frankly.”
Washington averaged 90.5 yards rushing last season, fifth-worst in the NFL. Injuries to Week 1 starter Rob Kelley and prolific third-down back Chris Thompson contributed to that, and Guice was expected to be a major part of solving the problem.
“He was supposed to be a first-round pick,” Thompson said earlier in training camp. “He’s one of those guys we’re expecting a lot out of him . ... They’re not expecting him to come here and have a 500-yard season. For him, I want 1,000-plus. I want that for him.”
In camp, Guice had been splitting first-team carries with Kelley and Samaje Perine. Gruden has said there’s competition for the No. 1 job along with Thompson, who’s coming back from a broken fibula.
“Had a tough time tryna hold back the tears this morning when I got the news,” Thompson tweeted after Guice’s injury was revealed. “We had something great going in our room but you know the squad got you every step of the way bro. Heal up and get ready to take over the league next year.”
The competition is now wide open after Guice’s season-ending injury. Kelley, a 2016 undrafted free agent who began last season as the starter, has gone from “Fat Rob” to “Fit Rob” and should now be considered the front-runner.
“I just make sure I go out there and I make a few plays that the catch the coaches’ eyes and stuff like that and put myself in a great position,” Kelley said. “At the end of the day, I can’t pick who wins and lose the competition; it’s up to the coaches and stuff like that. So, control what you can control.”
CHICAGO (AP) — Jason Heyward broke up a no-hitter with a tying tworun single in the sixth inning, Anthony Rizzo drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh and the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Friday.
In the first meeting between the teams since Chicago beat Washington in the NL Division Series, the Cubs won even though they didn’t get a hit against Nationals starter Jeremy Hellickson.
Rizzo walked three times. Manager Joe Maddon got ejected, but the Cubs pulled out the victory.
Hellickson was sailing along, retiring 17 in a row after issuing a leadoff walk to Rizzo in the first. But things took a wild turn with two out in the sixth.
He walked Rizzo on 13 pitches and both Javier Baez and Ben Zobrist on four to load the bases.
Heyward took two balls from Sammy Solis (1-2) before lining a tying tworun single past second baseman Daniel Murphy.
Chicago grabbed a 3-2 lead in the seventh after Maddon got tossed for arguing an interference call against Willson Contreras on the bases. The Cubs thought they had runners on second and third after Kyle Schwarber led off with a single and third baseman Anthony Rendon threw wildly to first after fielding Contreras’ roller. Instead, he got called for interference, leading to Maddon’s second ejection this season.
Schwarber had to go back to first. But he eventually scored when Greg Holland walked Rizzo after Ian Happ and Addison Russell singled to load the bases, putting the Cubs on top.
Kyle Hendricks gave up two runs and eight hits in six innings for Chicago. Steve Cishek (3-1) struck out the final two batters in the seventh. Carl Edwards Jr. got three outs in the eighth after former Washington pitcher Brandon Kintzler walked the first two batters.
Pedro Strop worked the ninth for his ninth save in 12 chances.
Hellickson gave up two runs, walked four and struck out three. Daniel Murphy had three hits and a run, but the Nationals came up short after a 7-3 homestand.
The Cubs signed veteran left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and transferred righty Yu Darvish to the 60-day disabled list to make room for him on the 40-man roster. Chicago also optioned left-hander Randy Rosario to Triple-A Iowa to create a spot for De La Rosa on the active roster.
Nationals: OF Bryce Harper was back in the lineup after being scratched from Thursday’s game against Atlanta because of a sore right knee . ... Martinez said RHP Stephen Strasburg (cervical nerve impingement) is scheduled for about a 60-pitch bullpen session Saturday and will pitch in a simulated game on Wednesday. Martinez said he thinks Strasburg will need to go on a minor league rehab assignment before returning to the rotation . ... RHP Erick Fedde (shoulder inflammation) threw in the bullpen in the bullpen on Friday.