WASHINGTON _ Willson Contreras, batting leadoff for the first time in his career, smacked a home run off left-hander Gio Gonzalez to start the game Monday night, and shortstop Javier Baez made two dazzling defensive plays as the Cubs held on for a 5-4 win over the Nationals at Nationals Park. Wade Davis struck out Ryan Zimmerman with the tying and winning runs on base to end the game.
Manager Joe Maddon said Contreras was the best option against Gonzalez, considering that Anthony Rizzo was 2-for-20 lifetime against Gonzalez entering Monday night's game. Baez scored an insurance run in the eighth on a squeeze bunt by center fielder Albert Almora Jr. and hit an RBI double to cap a three-run ninth.
Carl Edwards Jr. struck out Brian Goodwin, Harper and Zimmerman in the sixth, and Justin Grimm induced Zimmerman to ground to third with the tying run on base to end the eighth. But Stephen Drew hit a two-run double off closer Wade Davis in the ninth.
Almora made two running catches near the fence in the first and second innings. Baez robbed Harper of a hit to end the third and made a sliding catch in foul territory on a pop by Adam Lind in the eighth.
