WASHINGTON — Alex Bregman’s first two appearances at the plate on Tuesday night highlighted the challenges the Chicago Cubs presented to Nationals starter Jake Irvin. Bregman pushed Irvin to throw 10 pitches in both encounters, eventually drawing a walk after an initial 0-2 count in their opening matchup and scoring to put the Cubs on the scoreboard. By the third inning’s conclusion, Irvin had already thrown 75 pitches. He exited the game in the fourth inning with his pitch count nearing 90. The Cubs’ patience was rewarded with an 8-6 victory over Washington, moving them 20 games above .500 for the season.
Manager Craig Counsell shared, “It was a real example of the strength of our offense and what we can do to a pitcher. That’s our offense at its best. We didn’t necessarily get the big hit, the home run with men on base or the double, but we made it really hard on them every inning.”
Pete Crow-Armstrong showcased his perseverance in the third inning with a nine-pitch at-bat that concluded with a spectacular 437-foot home run, his 27th of the year. Seiya Suzuki likewise engaged Irvin in a nine-pitch contest in the first, contributing to a 31-pitch second inning for the Cubs. Suzuki doubled and homered during the game, while Bregman’s two-hit performance, which included a home run, resulted from recent adjustments with assistant director Ben Martin. Bregman mentioned focusing on better alignment of his shoulders and hips.
“Those first two at-bats were about feeling through the new adjustment,” Bregman explained. “I started slower after adjusting, which improved my performance.”
Cubs’ right-hander Jacob Webb excelled, achieving a four-out save. He entered with runners on base in the eighth inning and escaped a tense situation, returning to seal the win in the ninth with his eighth save. Webb has not allowed a run in 20 consecutive appearances. Counsell praised Webb, saying, “He’s been nails. That’s a well-earned save, and Jacob’s doing a remarkable job.”
Left-hander Shota Imanaga endured struggles, allowing four runs, including three home runs. It marked his fifth outing this season giving up multiple home runs. However, Imanaga did not walk any batters, a rare achievement given his 24 starts. Imanaga attributed some issues to predictability and poor command early in the game. Through his interpreter Edwin Stanberry, he noted improvements as the game progressed: “My command and body movement synced better as the game went on, though early on I struggled to adjust.”
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