Ian Happ homers twice as Cubs beat Nationals 5-2

<p>CHICAGO &mdash; Ian Happ homered twice and drove in three runs, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Thursday.</p>
<p>Happ put Chicago ahead to stay with a two-run shot in the third inning. He also led off the fifth with his sixth homer.</p>
<p>It was Happ’s first multihomer game since Sept. 5 against St. Louis and No. 8 for his big league career. The switch-hitting outfielder is batting .375 (12 for 32) with five homers and 10 RBIs in eight May games.</p>
<p>Joc Pederson had two more hits and drove in a run as Chicago won for the fifth time in seven games. Pederson is batting .417 (20 for 48) in his last 12 games.</p>
<p>Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber hit back-to-back homers for Washington in the first, but Joe Ross (2-4) lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his second straight loss. The right-hander was charged with four runs, two earned, and five hits.</p>
<p>The Nationals dropped three of four against the Cubs, closing out a 3-4 trip. They begin a nine-game homestand Friday night against Baltimore.</p>
<p>Trevor Williams pitched 4 2/3 innings of five-hit ball before Chicago’s bullpen took over. Justin Steele (2-0) got four outs before departing because of right hamstring tightness. Ryan Tepera and Andrew Chafin each worked an inning, and Craig Kimbrel earned his ninth save in 11 chances.</p>
<p>The Cubs’ bullpen has a scoreless streak of 17 1/3 innings over the team’s last five games. It began the day with a 3.24 ERA for the season, second-best in the NL.</p>
<p>Steele replaced Williams with Josh Harrison aboard after a leadoff double. After issuing a walk to Juan Soto, he struck out Bell swinging to preserve Chicago’s 4-2 lead.</p>
<p>Chafin got some help when second baseman Nico Hoerner robbed Bell of a hit with a diving stop in the eighth.</p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said OF Victor Robles was available off the bench after he left Wednesday night’s 4-3 win with right ankle soreness. X-rays were negative.</p>
<p>Cubs: OF Jason Heyward was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. OF Nick Martini was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. … 1B Anthony Rizzo returned to the lineup after he left Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over the Nationals because of tightness in his lower back. … Pederson was checked on by an athletic trainer when he batted in the eighth, but he stayed in the game.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Nationals: Martinez planned to announce his starting pitcher for Friday night’s series opener against Baltimore after the game. RHP Jorge López (1-4, 6.35 ERA) starts for the visiting Orioles.</p>
<p>Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 5.27 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis. RHP Carlos Martínez (3-4, 4.35 ERA) takes the mound for the NL Central-leading Cardinals.</p>
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<p>Jay Cohen can be reached at <a href="https://twitter.com/jcohenap">https://twitter.com/jcohenap</a></p>
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