Cubs Stay Hot With Four Game Sweep of Nationals

The National League East Leading Washington Nationals were in Chicago to take on the N.L. Central leading Cubs for a big four game weekend series May 5th-8th. When they left town, the Nationals had dropped into second place, a half game behind the New York Mets, as the Cubs swept all four games.

In the process, the Cubs beat both Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez. Washington almost beat Cubs ace Jake Arrieta in the series finale; the reigning N.L. Cy Young Award winner trailed 3-1 when he left after five innings. But the Cubs scored two in the seventh to get Arrieta off the hook. The game went into extra innings before Javier Baez ended it in the bottom of the 13th:

The Cubs handled Bryce Harper by walking him six times. He was also hit by a pitch in another plate appearance, and set a major league record by reaching base seven times without an official at bat.

That all Chicago 1906 World Series rematch remains a possibility. The Cubs (24-6) had the best record in baseball at the end of the weekend, while the Chicago White Sox (22-10) lead the American League Central and have the best record in that league after sweeping three from the Minnesota Twins.