WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg fell apart after one of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman’s two errors and wound up dropping his fifth consecutive decision as the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 8-2 Saturday.
Edwin Jackson (1-5) worked into the sixth inning and hit a two-run double for good measure. He earned his first win under a $52 million, four-year contract he signed after leaving Washington as a free agent, and ended the Nationals’ five-game winning streak.
Strasburg (1-5) set down Chicago’s first 11 hitters, six via strikeout. But with two outs in the fifth, third baseman Zimmerman’s off-target throw put a runner on. Turned out to be Strasburg’s last inning, making for his shortest outing of 2013.
The NL All-Star’s only win this season came April 1 on opening day against the lowly Miami Marlins.
CARDINALS 3, ROCKIES 0
ST. LOUIS — Adam Wainwright took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning and wound up with a two-hitter, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over Colorado.
The Rockies had been hitless in 49 consecutive at-bats before Nolan Arenado lined a clean hit to center field with one out in the eighth. Eric Young led off Friday night’s game with a broken-bat single against rookie Shelby Miller, then failed to put a runner on until Todd Helton walked with one out in the fifth inning a day later.
The 49 at-bats is the longest hitless stretch since Sept. 25-27, 1981, when the Los Angeles Dodgers went 50 at-bats without a knock, according to STATS.
DODGERS 7, MARLINS 1
LOS ANGELES — Andre Ethier had a pair of doubles among his season-high four hits, Dee Gordon hit a rare home run, and Los Angeles broke an eight-game losing streak with a victory over Miami.
Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-2) allowed one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. The left-hander took a three-hit shutout into the seventh before Miguel Olivo homered.
Ethier’s four-hit game was first since last Aug. 24-25, when he had back-to-back four-hit efforts against the Marlins at Dodger Stadium — each of which included a home run. The two-time All-Star is batting .403 against the Marlins in during his eight-year career.
REDS 13, BREWERS 7
CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce homered his first time up, then doubled twice during a seven-run burst as the Cincinnati Reds delighted a sellout crowd, battering the Milwaukee Brewers.
Six different Reds players drove in two runs each, including starting pitcher Mat Latos (4-0). The defending NL Central champions moved five games over .500 for the first time this season.
Bruce led off a five-run second that was helped by a pair of fielding mistakes by left fielder Ryan Braun. Bruce opened the seven-run third with a double off Hiram Burgos (1-1) and capped it with an RBI double that made it 12-4.
GIANTS 10, BRAVES 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner struck out a season-high 11 over seven innings, Gregor Blanco entered in the fifth as a pinch hitter and drove in four runs, and the San Francisco Giants routed the Atlanta Braves.
Bumgarner (4-1) gave up just four hits and walked two, snapping a string of four starts without a victory.
Blanco had a three-run double and triple in setting a career high for RBIs.
Paul Maholm (4-4) lasted just 4 1/3 innings and was charged with six runs on eight hits.
PHILLIES 3, D’BACKS 1
PHOENIX — Cliff Lee pitched seven scoreless innings, Jimmy Rollins drove in a pair of runs, and Philadelphia ended Arizona’s five-game winning streak.
Domonic Brown added an RBI single in the seventh for the Phillies, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Lee (4-2) gave up six hits, struck out three and walked two in winning consecutive road starts for the first time since August 2011.
Down 2-0, Arizona loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh before pinch-hitter Will Nieves grounded out.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for his sixth save.
PIRATES 11, METS 2
NEW YORK — Francisco Liriano struck out nine and pitched into the sixth inning to win his debut with Pittsburgh and help the Pirates beat the New York Mets.
Jordy Mercer homered twice, and Jose Tabata had four hits, including a two-run shot for the Pirates.
Liriano (1-0), returning from a broken non-throwing arm, allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up six hits and two walks.
