WASHINGTON — Michael Busch hit his ninth homer of the season, drove in three runs and finished a double shy of the cycle to help the Chicago Cubs to a 8-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Nico Hoerner singled in two runs to complete a four-run fifth inning that put Chicago up 7-3. Dansby Swanson added a pair of sacrifice flies as the Cubs won their third straight and 15th out of 19.
Right-hander Cade Horton (3-0) allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings to start Chicago's nine-game road trip.
CJ Abrams, James Wood and Luis García Jr. drove in runs for the Nationals.
Busch tripled and singled off Trevor Williams (3-6), forced across a run on a bases-loaded walk against Andrew Chafin in the fifth, then hit a seventh-inning solo shot off Zach Brzykcy.
He flew out to left against Jackson Rutledge in the ninth to fall just short of Chicago's second cycle this season. On March 31, Carson Kelly became the first Cubs batter to accomplish the feat since 1993.
Key moment
With the bases loaded and only one run in during the fifth, Busch fouled a 2-2 offering off his right leg and limped out of the batters box. After a visit from team medical personnel, he drew two consecutive balls off Chafin to force in a run and prolong Chicago's big inning.
