Game Recap: Busch's bat ignites Cubs in win over Nationals

Brad Mills - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 2 days ago

WASHINGTON, DC - When the Chicago Cubs (38-22) embarked on this 21-game stretch, the goal was for them to finish this stretch no worse than 14-7 with a shot at going even better. Well, here we are 19 games into that stretch, and the Cubs not only have surpassed their goal by going 15-4 thus far but have a real shot to go 16-5 during this stretch to create some separation within their division.

Their latest win came in the Nation's Capital on Tuesday as the Cubs traveled to Nationals Park for the first of three games against the Washington Nationals (28-32), who have won 10 of their last 15 games. This is a series that the Cubs can't take lightly, and early on, it was the Nationals taking it to Cade Horton and the Cubs as they opened up a 3-1 lead.

From that moment on, it was all Chicago as Horton settled in to finish off another strong outing while the offense ended the game with seven unanswered runs, including a four-run fifth inning to break the game open to pave the way for an 8-3 win. Michael Busch set the tone for the offense as he collected three hits to go with three RBIs and has quietly been one of the best hitters in baseball the past month.

This wasn't one of Horton's best starts, but it didn't have to be, as he continued to do his thing on the mound and improved to 3-0 as a starter this season. While the final line will show that he allowed three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, it should have been one earned run, as there was a potential error against Busch that wound up being ruled a hit. All of the runs he would allow came in the first three innings before settling down, including a first-inning RBI single from Luis Garcia that put the Nationals in front 1-0.

Chicago didn't waste any time battling back as Busch led off the top of the second with an RBI triple before coming home on the first of two Dansby Swanson sacrifice flies to make this a 1-1 game. Washington continued to cause Horton some issues in the third, but that is to be expected when practically your entire lineup was left-handed.

What started as a leadoff walk to Jose Tena turned into a tough spot as Daylen Lile followed that up with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. CJ Abrams managed to bring home the go-ahead run with a grounder ahead of the James Wood sacrifice fly as the Nationals took a 3-1 lead. That was it for them as Horton closed out his outing on a positive note before handing things over to the MLB's best bullpen since April 14 to take care of the rest.

Despite the overall struggles for Trevor Williams, the Cubs have been the one team he has had a ton of success against, which you can see by his 2.67 career ERA against them. Early on, it looked as if it was going to be another one of those outings for the right-hander until the wheels started to come off in the fourth. What started as a leadoff double from Pete Crow-Armstrong turned into a great scoring chance as he stole third ahead of a Carson Kelly fielder's choice.

A few pitches later, it was the Cubs pulling within 3-2 as Busch came through with another RBI hit to keep his hot streak rolling. Following another Swanson sacrifice fly, it was the Cubs bringing things back to even as this was a 3-3 game through. That was only the start of what was to come for this offense as they managed to score seven unanswered runs to end the game, four of which came in the fifth inning.

Following a pair of hits from Matt Shaw and Ian Happ to begin the inning, it was the Cubs threatening as they had runners on the corners and no outs. Seiya Suzuki used that to his advantage and delivered the Cubs third sacrifice fly of the day to put them on top for good 4-3. PCA followed that up with a walk off another former Cub in Andrew Chafin, while the Kelly single loaded the bases with Busch coming to bat.

Looking for the big blow, Busch wasn't able to get a hit, but he did bring home a run as his bases-loaded walk made this a 5-3 Cubs lead and kept the bases loaded for one of the game's best hitters in this situation, Nico Hoerner. As has been the case more often than not, Hoerner not only came through in this spot but did so in a big way as he connected for the two-out, two-RBI single to close out the four-run inning with the Cubs now in front 7-3.

Busch would cap off the scoring and his massive night with a solo shot in the seventh inning before the bullpen trio of Caleb Thielbar, Genesis Cabrera, and Ryan Pressly closed things out in the Cubs' 8-3 win.

Busch paced the offense with three hits and three RBIs, as he was the lone Cub to register more than one hit. Chicago will go for the series win on Wednesday when they send Matthew Boyd to the mound against fellow Southpaw Mackenzie Gore.