Shota Imanaga stars as the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 5-0

CHICAGO (AP) — Shota Imanaga pitched seven crisp innings in his sixth consecutive win, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Sunday.

Imanaga (15-3) was backed by home runs from Mike Tauchman, Michael Busch and Miguel Amaya. The Japanese left-hander allowed six hits, struck out four and walked none, continuing his strong finish to his first season in the majors.

“He did a good job with that heater kind of up and away to them,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Pretty simple game plan and he executed it very well.”

The start of the game was delayed for 2 hours, 20 minutes because of rain. The Wrigley Field crowd of 30,086 passed the time by watching much of the Bears' 21-16 loss at Indianapolis on the massive videoboard in left-center.

“Today I kept in mind ... that there is a possibility it might continue to rain and there might be a delay,” Imanaga said through a translator. “So just keeping that in mind and not getting swayed too much with how the environment is around me and just focusing on the game.”

The Cubs (80-76), who were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday, took three of four in the series. They went 6-1 against the Nationals this season.

James Wood and José Tena each had two of Washington's eight hits. Jake Irvin (10-13) allowed five runs and four hits in four innings.

The Nationals (69-87) closed out a 1-6 trip. They finished their road schedule with a 33-48 record.

“We just couldn't drive in any runs,” manager Dave Martinez said. “The biggest thing is, we got to get better in driving in runs, attacking the strike zone, staying in the strike zone. We just start chasing.”

Tauchman got Chicago off to a fast start when he drove a 2-0 fastball from Irvin off the bottom of the scoreboard in right for a leadoff drive in the first inning. It was Tauchman's seventh homer of the season.

“He steps in there and has that at-bat. I think that just builds some momentum for us,” Busch said, “and kind of just built off of that.”

The Cubs broke it open with three runs in the fourth. Busch led off with his 21st homer, a drive to right on a 2-1 fastball. With Pete Crow-Armstrong aboard after a two-out walk, Amaya went deep for his eighth on the year.

Irvin was coming off a pair of impressive starts, allowing a total of two runs and six hits in 13 1/3 innings.

Washington had its best scoring opportunity in the eighth against Ethan Roberts. With runners on the corners and one out, Joey Gallo sent a pinch-hit liner down the right field line. Umpire Tripp Gibson originally said it was foul, but then changed his mind and ruled it was a ground-rule double.

The Cubs challenged the call and it was overturned. Gallo then struck out swinging and Luis García Jr. bounced to shortstop, ending the inning.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: LF Ian Happ was scratched with lower back tightness. Counsell said he is day to day.

UP NEXT

Nationals: Following an off day, LHP Mitchell Parker (7-10, 4.44 ERA) starts Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game home series against Kansas City.

Cubs: RHP Nate Pearson (2-2, 4.71 ERA) takes the mound on Monday night for the opener of a three-game set at Philadelphia. Pearson is making his first start of the season.

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

Fans wait during a rain delay before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Fans wait during a rain delay before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Washington Nationals' Keibert Ruiz swings and strikes out on a foul tip during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Washington Nationals' Juan Yepez looks to the field after string out swinging during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Miguel Amaya, right, celebrates with Pete Crow-Armstrong after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch, right, celebrates with third base coach Willie Harris, left, as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, of Japan, throws against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, right, of Japan, is congratulated by catcher Miguel Amaya, left, as they walk to the dugout after the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — As world leaders meeting in the United Nations this week discuss the future of efforts to rein in the gangs strangling Haiti, Haitians are expressing hopelessness that an international response can turn the tide of violence.

Thus far, a UN-backed force of 400 police from Kenya and about two dozen Jamaican officers have done little to quell the country's gangs, which have terrorized the country since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. World leaders have been discussing the next steps in a convoluted efforts to restore order to the Caribbean nation, and Kenya this weekend pledged 600 more officers.

The United States has floated the idea of a U.N. peacekeeping force, but the idea was considered too controversial given the introduction of cholera and sexual abuse cases that occurred the last time U.N. troops were in Haiti.

The deployment of Kenyan forces was, in part, to avoid tensions that may be sparked by sending another U.N. peacekeeping mission.

But in a visit to Haiti by Kenya's President William Ruto over the weekend – on his way to the United Nations General Assembly session, which began on Sunday – Ruto said he would be open to expanding Kenya's operations into a larger U.N. peacekeeping mission.

“On the suggestion to transit this into a fully U.N. Peacekeeping mission, we have absolutely no problem with it, if that is the direction the U.N. security council wants to take,” Ruto said.

While Ruto hailed the successes of the Kenyan forces on Sunday, a recent report by a UN human rights expert said gang violence is spreading across Haiti and that Haitian police still lack the “logistical and technical capacity” to fight gangs.

The ongoing violence has left Haitians like 39-year-old Mario Canteve disillusioned with further international efforts to quell the gangs, saying he no longer believes promises by world leaders that they'll be able to change anything in the crisis-stricken nation.

“No one is coming to save Haiti. Nothing is changing," he said. “A new mission cannot save Haiti.”

Canteve sells cellphone chips and repairs electronics in the capital of Port-au-Prince, 80% of which is estimated to be controlled by gangs. Facing brutal gang violence, some Haitians have organized vigilante groups to battle the gangs themselves.

Such groups underscore to the lack of hope many Haitians have that an international solution can mark a shift in Haiti.

Moise Jean-Pierre, a 50-year-old school teacher, recalled past U.N. missions in Haiti and said such efforts were a “waste of time.”

“It would not be the first time we've had U.N. missions in Haiti,” he said. “What difference will it make?”

Sentiments on the ground speak to the bind world leaders are in as they've spent years looking for a larger solution to Haiti's woes.

The current security mission is expected to reach a total of 2,500 personnel, with the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin and Chad also pledging to send police and soldiers. Though it still is not clear when that would happen.

Few at the U.N. have an appetite for a larger peacekeeping mission in part due to the abuses in past missions, but also because many Haitians have an aversion to foreign interventions. Experts say three previous interventions by US and the UN have not improved crises in Haiti.

Some harbor hope that elections planned next year will pave the path to a Haitian-born solution.

The country has not held general elections since 2016 as the crisis has dragged on.

Last week, Haiti took its first steps in creating a provisional election council to prepare the nation for elections. Haiti still has many hurdles ahead of it to get there. Chief among them is violence.

While Canteve, the cellphone chip salesman, called for unity and said “a new mission cannot save Haiti, the children of Haiti need to save themselves,” he also expressed doubts the country was safe enough to facilitate elections.

“How can you hold an election when everything is so violent. Everyone is shooting," he said. "When police cannot even go into certain areas, what kind of election are going to get?”

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Associated Press reporter Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City.

Kenya's President William Ruto speaks to Kenyan police officers, part of a UN-backed multinational force, during a visit to their base in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

Kenya's President William Ruto, center left, visits Kenyan police, part of a UN-backed multinational force, at their base in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)