Alex Bregman just did something he's never done in his career, launching three homers and driving in a career-high seven runs as the Cubs smashed the Nationals 12-6.]
The 32-year-old, in his first year on the North Side, went yard in the fifth, sixth and eighth at Nationals Park. He kicked off the show with a three-run shot off Jake Bird that landed in the visitors' bullpen, wrapping a four-run inning. Dansby Swanson then ripped a go-ahead double in the sixth before Seiya Suzuki singled in two more. Bregman followed with a two-run blast off Yovanny Cruz. He finished it with another two-run drive off Trevor Williams into the Cubs' bullpen.
Swanson added a homer of his own. The Cubs have taken eight of nine and sit a season-high 21 games over .500 at 71-50, just three games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee. David Peterson went five innings, giving up four runs with six punchouts to move to 7-7. He's 9-2 all-time against Washington and has never allowed a homer to them in 86 1/3 innings.
- Bregman's ninth multi-homer game and 16th long ball this season, last multi-homer coming March 29 against these same Nats.
- Nationals rookie Jackson Kent debuted with three runs allowed, three hits, five walks and six strikeouts over four-plus innings.
- Javier Assad tossed four innings for his second save while Abimelec Ortiz, José Tena and Daylen Lile provided the Nats' offense.
Cubs fans are talking playoffs after this kind of veteran explosion. Can this roll continue?