Former National Yan Gomes hit a tie-breaking single in the seventh inning and the visiting Chicago Cubs beat Washington 3-2 Wednesday to win the three-game series.
Erich Uelman (1-1) got the win and Rowan Wick pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
P.J. Higgins homered and Franmil Reyes had two doubles for the Cubs.
Cubs starter Drew Smyly, who had tossed 11 2/3 scoreless innings over his past two starts, allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four without a walk.
Cory Abbott, who pitched for the Cubs in 2021, gave up two runs on three hits in six innings for Washington with a walk and five strikeouts.
Rookie outfielder Joey Meneses extended his hitting streak to 11 games for the Nationals, going 1-for-4 with a double and a run. He has hit safely in 12 of his 13 games since debuting earlier this month.
With the score tied 2-2, Reyes hit a leadoff ground-rule double against Jake McGee (1-3) in the seventh. McGee struck out the next two batters and right-hander Steve Cishek came on to face the righty Gomes, whose single to right scored Reyes to make it 3-2.
Gomes played for the Nationals from 2019-21.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead when Keibert Ruiz doubled with one out in the second inning and scored on a single by Cesar Hernandez.
Abbott, who went 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in seven games (one start) for the Cubs last season, retired nine batters in a row after Reyes led off the second with a double.
Rafael Ortega walked leading off the Chicago fifth. With two outs, Higgins deposited a 3-2 curveball into the bullpen in left center, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
Meneses doubled with one out in the sixth. Uelman replaced Smyly and Luke Voit reached on an infield single with Meneses going to third. Nelson Cruz hit into what was initially a 6-4-3 double play. The Nationals challenged both outs, and the out call at first was overturned, with Meneses scoring from third to tie it 2-2.
–Field Level Media