Nico Hoerner helps the surging Cubs rally for a 5-3 win over the sloppy Nationals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nico Hoerner had two hits and scored two runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the sloppy Washington Nationals 5-3 on Saturday for their fifth straight win.

Javier Assad pitched six innings of three-run ball as Chicago won for the eighth time in nine games overall. The Cubs (70-66), who are trying to make up ground in the race for the last NL wild card, went 18-8 in August.

“We have given ourselves a chance to play games in September that count and mean something," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "It took a really good month and it’s going to take another great month. I am proud of the guys for putting together a great stretch of baseball and give ourselves a chance here.”

José Tena went 3 for 3 for Washington, and Andrés Chaparro connected for his second career homer.

The Nationals put two runners on in the ninth, but Porter Hodge struck out Dylan Crews and James Wood for his third save.

“Like I always say I like to keep the game close," Assad said through a translator. "We have a great offense. I know we started off losing but the runs kept coming and you have a great offense, that’s the mindset I always have out there.”

Chicago went ahead to stay with four runs in the fifth inning against DJ Herz (2-7), a former Cubs prospect who was traded to the Nationals last year.

Isaac Paredes led off with a single to left for the team’s first hit of the game. Michael Busch walked and Hoerner singled to load the bases with none out.

Following a Pete Crow-Armstrong sacrifice fly, Christian Bethancourt singled and center fielder Jacob Young overran the ball. Busch scored on the play, and Ian Happ’s groundout drove in Hoerner for a 3-2 lead. Swanson added a two-out RBI double against Jacob Barnes.

“Our depth is impressive right now. ... Nice we’ve been able to score in different ways,” Hoerner said.

Herz allowed three hits, struck out five and walked two. He is winless in his last five starts.

“He was attacking the zone," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "Sometimes he was trying to make that finish pitch. He couldn't get it over and he got in deep counts.”

Assad (7-4) was charged with three runs and eight hits. He struck out four and walked two. He has pitched into the sixth inning in his last three starts.

“He doesn’t give up," Bethancourt said of Assad. "He gets mad at himself and sometimes you can see it and you can feel it. I think that is a good thing. Then he gets a punch in the mouth and then that’s when he starts executing and working and numbers show he’s a lot better when he got runners in scoring position. That’s not ideal, but that’s also ideal that he’s able to perform in those situations.”

WORTH NOTING

The Cubs added right-hander Shawn Armstrong to their active roster one day after they claimed him off waivers from St. Louis. Right-hander Daniel Palencia was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, and catcher Tomás Nido was released.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: Martinez said RHP Trevor Williams (right flexor strain) threw 43 pitches in a simulated game. Martinez wants Williams to get to 50-60 pitches in his next throwing session before deciding the next step.

UP NEXT

In the series finale, Cubs LHP Jordan Wicks (1-2, 4.18 ERA) opposes Nationals LHP Mitchell Parker (7-8, 4.26 ERA).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Washington Nationals' Jose Tena, left, is safe as he beats the pickoff throw to Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals starting pitcher DJ Herz throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals starting pitcher DJ Herz follows through during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad winds up during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen were arrested Saturday after Venezuelan officials accused them of coming to the South American country to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro.

The arrests were announced on state television by Diosdado Cabello, the nation's powerful interior minister. Cabello said the foreign citizens were part of a CIA-led plot to overthrow the Venezuelan government and kill several members of its leadership. In the television program, Cabello showed images of rifles that he said were confiscated from some of the plotters of the alleged plan.

The arrest of the American citizens included a member of the Navy, who Cabello identified as Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez. Cabello said that Gomez was a former navy seal who had served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Colombia. Spain's embassy in Venezuela did not reply to a request for comment on the arrests of its citizens.

The U.S. State Department late Saturday confirmed the detention of a U.S. military member and said it was aware of “unconfirmed reports of two additional U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela.”

“Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela,” the statement said.

The announcement of the arrests comes just two days after the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on 16 allies of Maduro who were accused by the U.S. government of obstructing voting during the disputed July 28 Venezuelan presidential election, and carrying out human rights abuses.

Earlier this week, Spain's parliament recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of the election, angering Maduro allies who called on the Venezuelan government to suspend commercial and diplomatic relations with Spain.

Tensions between Venezuela's government and the U.S. have increased as well following the election, whose result sparked protests within Venezuela in which hundreds of opposition activists were arrested.

Venezuela's Electoral Council, which is closely aligned with the Maduro administration, said Maduro won the election with 52% of the vote, but did not provide a detailed breakdown of the results.

Opposition activists, however, surprised the government by collecting tally sheets from 80% of the nation's voting machines. The tally sheets collected by the opposition were published online, and they indicate that Gonzalez won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro.

Despite international condemnation over the election's lack of transparency, Venezuela's supreme court, which has long backed Maduro, confirmed his victory in August. Venezuela's attorney general then filed conspiracy charges against Gonzalez, who fled to Spain last week after it became clear he would be arrested.

Maduro has dismissed requests from several countries, including the leftist governments of Colombia and Brazil, to provide tally sheets that prove he won the election. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has long claimed the U.S. is trying to overthrow him through sanctions and covert operations.

The Maduro administration has previously used Americans imprisoned in Venezuela to gain concessions from the U.S. government. In a deal conducted last year with the Biden administration, Maduro released 10 Americans and a fugitive wanted by the U.S. government to secure a presidential pardon for Alex Saab, a close Maduro ally who was held in Florida on money laundering charges. According to U.S. prosecutors, Saab had also helped Maduro to avoid U.S. Treasury sanctions through a complex network of shell companies.

FILE - Socialist Party President Diosdado Cabello gives his weekly press conference, in Catia La Mar, La Guaira, Venezuela, Aug. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses government loyalists gathered at the presidential palace in support of his reelection one month after the presidential vote, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)