Seiya Suzuki Has Homer, 4 Hits as Cubs Pour It on Late to Rout Nationals 17-3

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki watches his RBI single off Washington Nationals relief pitcher Amos Willingham in the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Chicago.

CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki homered and drove in three runs on a four-hit night, and the Chicago Cubs poured it on late to beat the Washington Nationals 17-3 on Tuesday night.

Patrick Wisdom hit his team-leading 17th homer in the seventh inning to put the Cubs ahead 4-3, and Chicago went on to score five more runs in the seventh and eight in the eighth.

Miguel Amaya and Michael Tauchman each drove in three runs for the Cubs, who finished with 20 hits.

Amaya had a two-run single to cap Chicago’s seventh-inning outburst against relievers Amos Willingham (0-2) and Jose Ferrer.

The Cubs sent 13 men to the plate in the eighth. Nico Hoerner had two RBI singles in the frame.

Michael Fulmer (1-5), the first Chicago reliever, got four outs — three via strikeout.

Washington took a 3-0 lead in the first two innings against Jameson Taillon, who settled in after that, working 5 2/3 innings. Manager David Ross pulled Taillon after the big right-hander tumbled trying to field Dominic Smith’s infield single. Fulmer replaced Taillon, who had thrown 92 pitches and didn’t appear to be injured.

Lane Thomas broke a 16-game drought with his team-leading 15th homer, and Corey Dickerson had two RBIs for last-place Washington. Nationals starter Patrick Corbin returned from the paternity list and allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings.

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki celebrates his home run off Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin in the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Chicago.