Chicago,  IL (SportsNetwork.com)  - John Baker drove in four runs to help lead 
the  Chicago Cubs to  a 7-2 win  over the Washington  Nationals in the second 
installment of a four-game set from Wrigley Field. 

Baker,  hitting just .160 at the plate entering Friday's contest, went 3-for-3 
and  doubled his season  RBI total in the triumph. Chris Coghlan had two hits, 
while he and Luis Valbuena each scored twice. 

"It feels great," Baker said. "I finally hit a couple baseballs that didn't go 
right  at somebody. Baseball  will rip your heart out, but we love it so much. 
It's fun to contribute." 

Jason Hammel (7-5) continued his dominance of the Nationals, allowing two runs 
on five hits with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Hammel improved to 7-0 in 
nine career starts against Washington. 

His  counterpart,  Tanner Roark  (7-5), lost  for the first  time since June 1 
after  getting roughed  up for  four  runs on  10  hits over  six innings.  He 
hadn't  given up  more  than three  runs  in a  start since  May  3, when  the 
Phillies scored seven in four innings against him. 

Adam LaRoche had a solo home run in the setback. 

Washington  scored  a run in  the second  inning and a  run in the fourth, but 
Chicago countered with two runs in the bottom half of both. 

Ryan  Zimmerman  gave the Nationals an  early 1-0 lead, plating LaRoche with a 
double  to left. Zimmerman  moved to third on an error and Wilson Ramos walked 
to  put  runners on the  corners, but Hammel  stranded both runners with three 
straight outs. 

Baker and Darwin Barney hit consecutive RBI singles to center in the bottom of 
the second to make it 2-1. 

"They're  a good  hitting ball club," said Roark. "They didn't hit home runs, 
they hit  one  extra base hit  off me  that I remember.  Other than that, they 
were hitting singles and putting pressure on us." 

LaRoche  tied the game in his next at-bat with a solo blast to right. The draw 
lasted  for just  minutes, as  Ryan Sweeney  drove in  Coghlan and  Baker with 
a poke to center to put Chicago back in front. 

Baker  broke  the game open  in the seventh inning,  clearing the bases with a 
three-run double down the right field line off Jerry Blevins. 

                                   Game Notes 

Eight  of nine Cubs starters,  including  Hammel, had  at least  one hit  ... 
Washington finished 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.