WASHINGTON -AP- Stephen Strasburg struck out 13 in seven innings, Bryce Harper had two doubles and two RBI, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 on Wednesday night.Anthony Rendon and Matt Wieters hit back-to-back homers against John Lackey (5-9) during Washington's four-run second inning. After the Cubs pulled within three at 6-3, Daniel Murphy went deep in the fifth.
It was a rough day for the Cubs, who cut veteran catcher Miguel Montero after he criticized pitcher Jake Arrieta for his role in the Nationals' seven steals in Tuesday's 6-1 win over the World Series champions. Then reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant departed with an apparent right ankle injury.Bryant awkwardly clipped third base while catching a foul pop off the bat of Wieters in the sixth. He walked around gingerly before being helped off the field.Strasburg (9-2) allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in his first win against the Cubs. He improved to 6-1 in his last nine starts.Ryan Zimmerman drove in two runs for the NL East-leading Nationals, who have won two in a row over the Cubs after dropping Monday's series opener.Willison Contreras and Anthony Rizzo homered for Chicago, which has dropped four of six. Lackey allowed a season-high eight runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings.Strasburg rebounded after allowing five earned runs in five innings during a no-decision against Cincinnati on Friday. He retired nine of his first 10 batters and struck out the side in the second and third innings.After Contreras's two-run homer in the fourth and a Chicago run in the fifth, Strasburg set down his final eight batters.Rizzo hit his team-leading 18th home run against Enny Romero in the eighth.Harper doubled and scored in the first inning on Zimmerman's base hit. He added a bases-loaded walk in the second and an RBI double in the sixth off Brian Duensing.WORTH NOTINGChicago recalled catcher Victor Caratini from Triple-A Iowa to replace Montero. Caratini hit .343 with eight home runs and 54 RBI in 68 games for Iowa this season.
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