WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No team release available.
CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Nationals
The Cubs and Nationals play seven games spanning two series this season … the teams faced off May 1-4 at Washington, with the Nationals taking three of the four games … Chicago has won the last two season series against the Nationals, going 4-3 in 2021 and 4-2 in 2022.
GETTING NATIONAL ATTENTION: The Chicago Cubs today play the rubber match of the three-game set against the Washington Nationals … the Cubs yesterday beat the Nationals 17-3 to even the series … Michael Fulmer earned his first win a of the season, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts … Seiya Suzuki had four hits, including a sixth inning solo long ball … Patrick Wisdom hit his team leading 17th homer, extending his home run streak to three games with an at-bat … Nico Hoerner exploded for three hits, including two in the eighth inning, and Miles Mastrobuoni recorded his first career three-hit game.
And… how fitting of Cubs catcher Yan Gomes to celebrate his birthday with his current and former teammates. Happy Birthday, Yan!
Prior to dropping their last three Wrigley Field series, the Cubs had won three-consecutive Wrigley Field series (May 29-31 vs. TB, 2-1; June 13-15 vs. PIT, 3-0;
June 16-18 vs. BAL, 2-1).
This is the sixth of a 10-game homestand vs. Boston (1-2), Washington (1-1) and St. Louis (four games beginning Thursday).
Chicago is 6-6 in its last 12 games and 7-12 in its last 19 contests since June 25 following a stretch in which it went 11-2 in 13 games from June 9-24.
The Cubs are the only N.L. Central Division club with a positive run differential (+33) … Pittsburgh is at -74, St. Louis -23, Cincinnati -17 and Milwaukee -9.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: As part of the Cubs 17 unanswered runs that began with Yan Gomes’ sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, the Cubs scored six runs in the seventh inning and eight runs in the eighth … it was the first time since May 5, 2001 that the Cubs scored at least six runs in back-to-back innings and just the 11th time in franchise history … what’s more? The 17 runs scored and the 14-run margin of victory are both franchise records against the Nationals. (Thanks to Ed Hartig for the info!)
TWO STRIKES? NO PROBLEM: Chicago last night tallied 20 hits, 12 of which came with two strikes … the Cubs are the only team in the majors this season to record at least 12 two-strike hits in a game … it just the second time the club has acheived the feat since 1974 – the Cubs also did so in Atlanta July 21, 2003 … only the Pirates on August 30, 2006, have had at least 12 two-strike hits (14) against the Cubs (since 1974).
In last night’s affair, all of Seiya Suzuki’s four hits and Miles Mastrobuoni’s three hits came on their final strike.
SEIYA IS SIZZLING: Seiya last night went 4-for-6 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored … his four hits and his three RBI both tie career-highs … in his last 11 games dating to July 4, Seiya is batting .333 (15-for-45) with one triple, two home runs, five RBI and seven runs scored … his current hot stretch comes off a run of 13 games (June 15-July 3) in which he hit .102 (5-for-49) with a .301 slugging percentage.
His single in the first inning last night came off the bat at 114.6 mph, the hardest batted ball by a Cub and hardest hit at Wrigley Field this season.
THAT’S A LOADED STATEMENT: In the team’s 30 games since June 11, the Cubs are batting .500 (13-for-26) with one home run, three walks, 35 RBI and a .531 OBP with the bases loaded … in the team’s previous 37 games from May 1-June 10, the Cubs were hitting .125 (3-for-24) with three men on.
The Cubs .531 OBP and runs scored (37) with the bases loaded pace the majors in that span … Chicago also ranks second in the majors in RBI (35), third in average (first in the N.L.), fourth in OPS (1.147), and its .615 slugging ranks seventh in the majors, second in the N.L., since June 11.
Mike Tauchman leads the team with seven RBI during the stretch.
BELLI AT BAT: Cody Bellinger in 26 games since being reinstated from the injured list on June 15 (left knee contusion) has batted .366 (34-for-93) with 22 runs, four doubles, five home runs, 15 RBI and an .978 OPS … he has a 7.8% walk rate and 15.5% strikeout rate in this span.
Bellinger enjoyed a career-high 13-game hitting streak from June 24-July 7, a stretch in which he hit .479 (23-for-48) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI and a 1.167 OPS.
Bellinger owns a .432 average (32-for-74) since June 24, the best mark in the majors in that span … his .469 OBP ranks second and his 1.145 OPS is eighth in the majors during the stretch … Bellinger has five blasts in his last nine games, including three July 15-16.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR … OUTFIELDER: Ian Happ tallied his eighth outfield assist of the season Sunday against the Red Sox, tying his career high from last season … his 16 outfield assists since the start of 2022 rank tied for the N.L. lead and tied for sixth-most in the majors in that span.
Happ’s latest assist came in the team’s 92nd game … he is the first Cub since Kyle Schwarber in 2018 to record eight outfield assists by team game no. 92 and just the third since 2000 (also Alfonso Soriano in 2007).
He is one of seven players in the majors and one of three in the N.L. with at least eight outfield assists this season … Adolis García of Texas leads the league with 11 outfield assists, and Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the N.L. with nine.
HIGH FIVE: Mike Tauchman Sunday reached base five times, going 2-for-2 with three walks, for the first time in his career … his previous high was four times (1-1, 3 BB) Aug. 10, 2019 … Tauchman’s feat was the sixth such instance for the Cubs this season (also Seiya Suzuki, twice; Ian Happ, twice; and Cody Bellinger) … Chicago’s six batters to have reached base at least five times in a game are third-most in the majors behind the Mets (8) and the Astros (7).
Starting Pitcher – #28 RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 3.57)
Last Time Out
Kyle suffered his fourth loss of the season, tying his career high by allowing four home runs in an outing (done 3x, last May 20, 2022 vs. Arizona) … gave up two home runs in the same inning for the second time this season (also July 9 at Yankees) … started back-to-back team games for the Cubs (also July 9), becoming the first Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano (July 8-13, 2007) to accomplish the feat.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
7/14 BOS L, 3-8 4.2 8 5 5 0 5 84-57 2-5
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-3 4.85 5 5 26.0 31 16 14 5 18
Road 2-1 2.53 5 5 32.0 22 13 9 5 19
AVG vs. LHB: .231 (28-for-121) / AVG vs. RHB: .245 (25-for-102)
Kyle will make his 11th start of the 2023 campaign, his sixth at Wrigley Field … is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA (16 ER/42.2 IP) in his last seven starts dating to June 10 ..has held opponents to a .159 average (18-for-113) with 26 strikeouts against his changeup.
Started July 9 at New York (A.L.) and July 14 vs. Boston, becoming the first Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano (July 8-13, 2007) to start back-to-back team games.
Posted a 1.95 ERA (7 ER/32.1 IP) in five starts from June 10-July 4, allowing three runs or fewer in all five outings … his 1.95 ERA was the fourth-lowest in the majors during that span (min. 5 GS).
June 10 in San Francisco, carried a no-hit bid into the eighth … the 7.2 inning no-hit bid was the second-longest of his career (Sept. 12, 2016 at St. Louis, 8.0 IP).
Became the 12th pitcher in Cubs history to pitch for the Cubs in at least 10 season (last Kerry Wood).
Made his season debut May 25 vs. Mets (3 ER/4.1 IP), his first major league start since July 5, 2022.
Made five rehab starts with Triple-A Iowa, going 2-1 with a 5.75 ERA (13 ER/20.1 IP) … allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last three rehab starts, posting a 1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) during those outings.
Began the season on the 15-day injured list, as he rehabbed from a capsular tear in his right shoulder that he suffered in July 2022.
