Local News

Ruggiano, Cubs down Nationals

Chicago,  IL (SportsNetwork.com)  - Justin  Ruggiano's two-run  double in  the 
seventh  inning gave  the Chicago Cubs a 5-3 win over the Washington Nationals 
in the opener of a four-game series. 

Starlin  Castro also drove  in two runs while Anthony Rizzo was 3-for-4 with a 
run scored for the Cubs, who had lost four of five coming into the game. 

Travis  Wood gave  up  three runs  on  seven  hits with  five  walks and  four 
strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. Neil Ramirez (1-1) got his first career win for 
recording the final out of the seventh. 

"I  kind of spaced out there for a bit and gave up too many walks," said Wood. 
"The guys really had my back tonight." 

Denard Span drove in two and Anthony Rendon brought home the other run for the 
Nationals, who have dropped their past two after winning four straight. 

Doug  Fister allowed  three runs  on seven  hits in  six innings,  while Craig 
Stammen  (0-3)  was handed the loss  for giving up  two runs in two innings of 
relief. 

"They  battled  well tonight, but  I didn't execute  some of my pitches," said 
Fister.  "They  took advantage  of it and  were able to  produce some runs off 
that." 

The  Nationals  had tied the game  with a two-run  top of the seventh, but the 
Cubs got a one-out double from Darwin Barney and Chris Coghlan followed with a 
walk  in  the  home  seventh.  A  fielder's  choice  from  Ryan  Sweeney  left 
runners at the  corners, and Ruggiano came through with a double to left for a 
5-3 lead. 

Pedro  Strop  faced the  minimum in  the eighth while  Hector Rondon pitched a 
flawless ninth for his ninth save of the season. 

Chicago  took a  3-0 lead  in the  fourth as  Castro brought  home two  with a 
single,  moved  to second on  a wild pitch  and scored on Welington Castillo's 
single. 

Span  doubled to  start  the sixth  and  scored on  Rendon's  single, and  the 
Nationals tied the game in the seventh on a two-run double from Span. 

                                   Game Notes 

The  Nationals took  four of seven from  the Cubs last season ... Tanner Roark 
pitches  for Washington  on  Friday, while  Jason Hammel  takes  the hill  for 
Chicago. 

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