Chicago Cubs: Top 5 wins of the 2018 regular season

Chicago Cubs 4 – Washington Nationals 3

On Sunday, August 12th, the Cubs and Washington Nationals wrapped up the first series of the season between the two ballclubs.

The Nationals were struggling and had begun their fade from playoff contention, but Max Scherzer  – perhaps the best starting pitcher in the game – was set to take the hill. With Scherzer pitching, the odds of the Nationals taking the rubber match of the series seemed high.

Scherzer pitched a phenomenal game, going seven strong innings, allowing just four baserunners, and striking out 11 Cubs hitters. Scherzer’s opposition was good too.

Hamels threw a gem for the North Siders, pitching seven innings with one run and nine punch outs.

Dominant starting pitching kept the game close throughout. The Nationals led 1-0 entering the game’s final frame but tacked on two more against Brandon Kintzler.

With just four hits through the first eight innings, a comeback from the Cubs seemed unlikely.

After a Ben Zobrist ground out to start the ninth, Jason Heyward singled and Albert Almora Jr. was hit by a pitch to bring Kyle Schwarber to the plate representing the tying run. On a 1-0 count, Schwarber popped out to third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Cubs’ backstop Willson Contreras stepped into the box with two on and two outs. On the sixth pitch of the at bat, pitcher Ryan Madson worked too far inside and plunked Contreras.

With the bases loaded and two outs, David Bote entered the game as a pinch hitter. The rookie third basemen put together a good at bat working the count to 2-2. The fifth pitch of the battle was a 95-mile-per-hour four-seam fastball low in the zone but over the center of the plate. Bote didn’t miss it.

Bote delivered perhaps the Cubs most dramatic win of the regular season. His heroic walk-off grand slam with two outs and down by three runs was the Cubs’ first ultimate grand slam since Ellis Burton hit one in 1963.

The Cubs’ offense struggled, as it did in much of the second half, but Hamels kept the game close enough for the comeback to start in the ninth. The hitters looked foolish against Scherzer, but as they did throughout an up and down season, the Cubs found a way to win against one of the best pitchers in baseball.