Cody Bellinger knocks in 3 as Cubs beat Nationals 7-6 to stave off postseason elimination

CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki homered, Cody Bellinger drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs topped the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Thursday night to stave off elimination from the postseason.

Joey Gallo hit a three-run home run for Washington, which has dropped four straight.

The Cubs trailed 6-5 after Gallo’s shot in the sixth off reliever Drew Smyly, but took the lead for good with a two-run seventh. Bellinger singled in the tying run and Isaac Paredes came up next to tag reliever Robert Garcia (3-6) with an RBI groundout.

Dansby Swanson added three hits and scored four times for Chicago, which remained seven games out of the final NL wild card berth with nine to play after New York and Arizona won earlier Thursday.

Bellinger said the Cubs aren’t worried about their postseason hopes dying as early as this weekend.

“You still want to get the job done and make plays for your pitcher,” he said.

Ethan Roberts (1-0), the third of five Cubs relievers, got his first career win and Porter Hodge worked the ninth for his sixth save.

“Top of the lineup did a heck of a job, for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after his first four hitters accounted for 10 hits and five RBIs.

The teams swapped runs in the first inning before trading two-run frames in the third. In Chicago's half of the third, Suzuki hit his 21st home run of the season, a two-run shot off starter Patrick Corbin.

“I’m seeing the ball well,” Suzuki said through a translator after extending his hitting streak to 10 games. “I feel like I can get a little more aggressive.”

Chicago added two more runs to make it 5-3 before Gallo connected off Drew Smyly in the sixth to give the Nationals a brief 6-5 lead.

CJ Abrams had four hits and scored twice while rookie Darren Baker added three hits and scored a run for Washington.

“We swung the bats well, I thought we ran the bases well,” Washington manager Dave Martinez. “Keep swinging the bats like that and we’ll be fine.”

Chicago starter Javier Assad allowed seven hits, three runs and a walk while striking out five in the first five innings.

Corbin surrendered eight hits and five runs with a walk while striking out four in 4 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: OF Jacob Young left with shoulder soreness after getting caught stealing in the second. He’ll be evaluated further on Friday. … Catcher Keibert Ruiz took an Isaac Paredes foul ball to his groin in the third but remained behind the plate after a once-over from the training staff.

Cubs: Paredes appeared to have his left hand bent back in the third when James Wood slid into third base, but he stayed in the game and made the ensuing play in the field.

UP NEXT

The series continues Friday afternoon when Washington’s Trevor Williams (5-0, 2.22 ERA) makes his first start since May 30 against fellow RHP Jameson Taillon (10-8, 3.54).

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

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki runs the bases on a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki runs the bases on a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo, front right, high-fives Darren Baker(10) after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo hits a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, left, and second baseman Nico Hoerner celebrate after their win over the Washington Nationals in a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson scores on a single from Cody Bellinger during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki, center, high-fives manager Craig Counsell after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger signals to the dugout after hitting a single, allowing Dansby Swanson to score, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

HOUSTON (AP) — Jon Singleton’s tiebreaking two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.

The game was tied 1-1 when Ryan Miller (0-1) walked Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker to start the eighth. A fielder's-choice grounder by Yainer Diaz sent Alvarez to third.

Jeremy Peña grounded out on a ball that rolled just in front of the batter’s box before the Angels intentionally walked Victor Caratini to load the bases.

Singleton then smacked his two-strike double, a line drive to center field to score Alvarez and Diaz.

“It means a lot,” Singleton said. “Any time you get a chance like that to come through for the ballclub, it feels good.”

Houston’s magic number to clinch the AL West dropped to five.

Yusei Kikuchi allowed five hits and a run while striking out nine in six innings as the Astros improved to 9-0 in his nine starts since a trade from Toronto on July 29.

“He throws strikes, he’s a competitor,” manager Joe Espada said. “The guys love playing behind him. We expect to win every single time he’s on the mound. When he goes on the mound just his attitude, the energy, you feel it.”

He is 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA and .189 opponent batting average with 68 strikeouts since coming to Houston.

“As soon as I got traded, my mindset was I’m going to win every game for this ballclub every time I’m out there on the mound,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “So it seems like it’s working out right now.”

Taylor Ward hit a leadoff homer for the Angels, who went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position to snap a two-game winning streak.

Zach Neto doubled with one out in the eighth and he advanced to third on a groundout by Nolan Schanuel. But Bryan Abreu (3-3) retired Brandon Drury on a grounder.

Josh Hader pitched a scoreless ninth for his 32nd save.

Ward hit his fifth leadoff homer in the last 19 games. It was his 25th homer of the season, making him the ninth left fielder in franchise history with at least 25 and the first since 2018.

Kikuchi walked Schanuel with one out before a single by Drury. But Kikuchi struck out the next two batters.

The Astros had just one hit when Diaz reached on Eric Wagaman’s third error of the game to start the fourth. A single by Peña sent him to third and the Astros tied it when he scored on a single by Caratini.

José Suarez permitted three hits and a run with five strikeouts in five innings in his second start this season after spending most of the year in the bullpen.

“He battled,” manager Ron Washington said. “He and Kukuchi went head-to-head and he hung in there and gave us what we needed.”

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: OF Mickey Moniak missed a fourth straight game with a bruised left hand after he was hit by a pitch Sunday.

UP NEXT

Houston RHP Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.20 ERA) opposes LHP Tyler Anderson (10-13, 3.60) when the series continues Friday night.

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

Houston Astros starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher José Suarez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña fields an infield single hit by Los Angeles Angels' Jordyn Adams during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Eric Wagaman reacts after committing a fielding error on a ground ball hit by Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Houston Astros' Victor Caratini hits an RBI single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Houston Astros' Jon Singleton hits a two-run double during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)