WASHINGTON _ The express lanes on the basepaths were open and navigating the strike zone was too challenging Tuesday night for Jake Arrieta.
That was a costly mix for the Cubs, as the Nationals took advantage of Arrieta's control issues and their own speed to coast to a 6-1 victory Tuesday night at breezy Nationals Park.
This marked the fifth time this season that Arrieta (7-6) failed to pitch at least five innings, although three of the six hits he allowed didn't reach the outfield. But the walks started to mount up in the third inning as his pitch count rose.
The six walks were the most Arrieta has issued since he walked seven in five innings against the Brewers on Aug. 18, 2016.
The Nationals set an aggressive tone that gradually negated any hope of a pitching showdown between the last two National League Cy Young Award winners _ Arrieta and Max Scherzer, who limited the Cubs to two hits in six innings.
"It was an imperfect situation," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of the Nationals' running success against the Cubs.
Trea Turner stole four bases in the first three innings to tie a single-game franchise record. Turner's speed put him in position to score from third with two outs on second baseman Tommy La Stella's errant throw from shallow right field on a Daniel Murphy grounder in the fourth.
"I don't care who is behind the plate." Arrieta said. "Turner is a threat."
In the fourth, Michael A. Taylor stole second and third and scored when catcher Miguel Montero's throw sailed wide of the bag and into left field.
"What can I say? A couple of times I didn't even try to throw because there was no time, no chance to throw (out anybody)," Montero said. "So why am I even going to make a throw, or what happened at third _ try to make a throw to third and throw to left field because you try to be too quick."
Montero has yet to throw out a runner this season, yet Cubs pitchers have praised him for his signal calling.
Turner's performance illustrated the value of speed in the leadoff spot, as Maddon tries to buy time with slugger Anthony Rizzo at the top of his order.
"We don't have Lou Brock, we don't have Rickey Henderson," Maddon said before the game. "Maury Wills isn't here, so I'm just trying to do the best here with what we have, which I'm very happy with. Willie (Contreras) did a nice job (Monday), Riz has done a nice job. We just don't have that prototypical speed, high on-base guy to put up every day."
Rizzo returned to the leadoff spot for the 11th time in the last 12 games, but he went 0-for-3 after getting hit by a pitch and scoring the Cubs' only run in the first.
Maddon still hasn't lost faith in Kyle Schwarber, who lost his leadoff duties last month and was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday.
"I want to see Schwarber get back on track, and when he comes back, what does it look like," Maddon said. "What does it mean? Does someone among this group all of a sudden ascend?
"Let's say Rizzo gets cold there, we get him out of there. I'm just trying to match our best with what the other team is doing and trying to get our best hitters in the top 3-4 slots on a nightly basis."
