Gore pitches 7 sparkling innings as the Nationals beat the Cubs 5-1 to stop a 5-game slide

CHICAGO (AP) — MacKenzie Gore struck out nine in seven sparkling innings, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Saturday.

Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer for Washington, which had dropped five in a row. José Tena had three of the Nationals’ 12 hits.

Washington played without All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams, who was demoted to the minors earlier in the day. Abrams isn’t expected to play for the big league team again this season.

“I just want it to be known, it wasn’t performance-based — it’s an internal issue,” manager Dave Martinez said. “I’m not going to give specifics or talk about specifics because I need to keep these guys and everything on the down low. ... I’m going to support CJ. He’s a big part of our Nats family, and he will be. At this point, for me, it’s the right thing to do.”

Gore (10-12) earned his second straight win. The 25-year-old left-hander was working on a no-hitter before Patrick Wisdom connected for his eighth homer with one out in the seventh inning.

“His tempo was really good today,” Martinez said of Gore. “It looked like he slowed everything down and just was really attacking the strike zone. All of his stuff was electric. He pitched really well today.”

Gallo said Gore has “elite stuff,” and praised the pitcher for his work ethic.

“A lot of guys come to the ballpark, they see it as a job and whatnot, but MacKenzie really loves coming to the ballpark and just playing the game of baseball and being the best that he can be,” Gallo said. “He had little hiccups there in the middle of the year, but (it’s a) long year, and it says a lot for him to be able to get over that and be pitching well here at the end.”

Jose Ferrer got three outs before Kyle Finnegan finished the two-hitter for Washington.

Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks (4-12) allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings in what might have been his last home start at Wrigley Field. Hendricks, who helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series, is eligible for free agency after this season.

“Kind of excited just to take a step back, get away from baseball for a minute,” Hendricks said. “Refocus, re-evaluate where I'm at and make my adjustments and really attack this offseason with some motivation. Really got to get better in some areas.”

Ildemaro Vargas drove in Juan Yepez with a sacrifice fly in the second, and Washington broke it open with four runs in the sixth.

The Nationals put their first three batters on, and Keibert Ruiz chased Hendricks with a sacrifice fly. Gallo then greeted Keegan Thompson with his ninth homer, a drive to right that lifted his team to a 5-0 lead.

Gallo, Vargas, Yepez and Luis García Jr. each had two hits.

UP NEXT

Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (14-3, 3.03 ERA) is slated to take the mound for Sunday’s series finale. RHP Jake Irvin (10-12, 4.07 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Nationals.

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

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo, right, celebrates with teammate Luis Garcia Jr., in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo, center, celebrates with teammates Juan Yepez, left, and Jose Tena, right, after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Washington Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox placed third baseman Rafael Devers on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with left shoulder inflammation.

Devers left Friday night’s 12-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins in the top of the 11th. The slugger went 1 for 4 with a walk and three strikeouts.

Saturday's game against Minnesota was postponed because of rain. It was rescheduled as part of a Sunday doubleheader.

Speaking before the game was rained out, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Devers tweaked his shoulder while working in the batting cage and tried to play through it.

Devers, who turns 28 on Oct. 24, finalized a 10-year contract with the Red Sox in January 2023 that is worth $313.5 million. He is batting .272 with 28 homers and 83 RBIs in 138 games. The three-time All-Star leads AL third basemen with 12 errors.

“He made some adjustments throughout and yesterday he was like, there wasn’t much there,” Cora said Saturday. “Today, actually, we talked about something I saw mechanically, and he was very honest about it. The bat speed, it wasn’t there. We can see it.”

Catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper was called up from Triple-A Worcester to take Devers’ spot on the roster.

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

Red Sox place 3B Rafael Devers on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation

Red Sox place 3B Rafael Devers on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation

Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers smiles after hitting a two-run single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)