Cody Bellinger knocks in 3 as Cubs beat Nationals 7-6 to stave off postseason elimination

CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki homered, Cody Bellinger drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs topped the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Thursday night to stave off elimination from the postseason.

Joey Gallo hit a three-run home run for Washington, which has dropped four straight.

The Cubs trailed 6-5 after Gallo’s shot in the sixth off reliever Drew Smyly, but took the lead for good with a two-run seventh. Bellinger singled in the tying run and Isaac Paredes came up next to tag reliever Robert Garcia (3-6) with an RBI groundout.

Dansby Swanson added three hits and scored four times for Chicago, which remained seven games out of the final NL wild card berth with nine to play after New York and Arizona won earlier Thursday.

Bellinger said the Cubs aren’t worried about their postseason hopes dying as early as this weekend.

“You still want to get the job done and make plays for your pitcher,” he said.

Ethan Roberts (1-0), the third of five Cubs relievers, got his first career win and Porter Hodge worked the ninth for his sixth save.

“Top of the lineup did a heck of a job, for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after his first four hitters accounted for 10 hits and five RBIs.

The teams swapped runs in the first inning before trading two-run frames in the third. In Chicago's half of the third, Suzuki hit his 21st home run of the season, a two-run shot off starter Patrick Corbin.

“I’m seeing the ball well,” Suzuki said through a translator after extending his hitting streak to 10 games. “I feel like I can get a little more aggressive.”

Chicago added two more runs to make it 5-3 before Gallo connected off Drew Smyly in the sixth to give the Nationals a brief 6-5 lead.

CJ Abrams had four hits and scored twice while rookie Darren Baker added three hits and scored a run for Washington.

“We swung the bats well, I thought we ran the bases well,” Washington manager Dave Martinez. “Keep swinging the bats like that and we’ll be fine.”

Chicago starter Javier Assad allowed seven hits, three runs and a walk while striking out five in the first five innings.

Corbin surrendered eight hits and five runs with a walk while striking out four in 4 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: OF Jacob Young left with shoulder soreness after getting caught stealing in the second. He’ll be evaluated further on Friday. … Catcher Keibert Ruiz took an Isaac Paredes foul ball to his groin in the third but remained behind the plate after a once-over from the training staff.

Cubs: Paredes appeared to have his left hand bent back in the third when James Wood slid into third base, but he stayed in the game and made the ensuing play in the field.

UP NEXT

The series continues Friday afternoon when Washington’s Trevor Williams (5-0, 2.22 ERA) makes his first start since May 30 against fellow RHP Jameson Taillon (10-8, 3.54).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki runs the bases on a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki runs the bases on a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo, front right, high-fives Darren Baker(10) after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo hits a three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, left, and second baseman Nico Hoerner celebrate after their win over the Washington Nationals in a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson scores on a single from Cody Bellinger during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki, center, high-fives manager Craig Counsell after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger signals to the dugout after hitting a single, allowing Dansby Swanson to score, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Shaken by multiple militant attacks, Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital in a major security move as senior officials from several nations arrive for an Asian security group meeting.

A three-day holiday started Monday in normally bustling Islamabad and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi, and Pakistan has deployed troops and blocked key roads, making it difficult even for ambulances to pass through. Some doctors asked police to remove barricades so that they could go to hospitals, but were instead asked to take longer routes.

The main event of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be held Wednesday, when leaders and officials discuss how to boost their security cooperation and economic ties. The group was founded in 2001 by China and Russia to counter Western alliances. Other members include Iran, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Militants in recent weeks have killed dozens of people in multiple attacks in restive northwestern and southwestern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan. Security experts say militants have limited capacity to strike in Islamabad.

Pakistan often blames the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, who have sanctuaries in neighboring Afghanistan, for the violence. Afghanistan’s Taliban government says it does not allow anyone to use its soil for attacks against any country.

Two Chinese engineers were killed on Oct. 6 in a suicide bombing outside the airport in Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province. The attack was claimed by a separatist group.

In the past, ordinary Pakistanis used to line up on both sides of the main roads to welcome any dignitaries visiting the country, but authorities said they had to take harsh security measures because of fears of militant attacks. Only state media will be allowed to cover the meetings.

Among those attending were China’s Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref and the prime ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Mongolia.

In this photo released by the Press Information Department, China's Premier Li Qiang, left, walks Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, second left, upon his arrival at an airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Press Information Department via AP)

In this photo released by the Press Information Department, China's Premier Li Qiang, right, greets Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, upon his arrival at an airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Press Information Department via AP)

In this photo released by the Press Information Department, China's Premier Li Qiang, left, walks Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, upon his arrival at an airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Press Information Department via AP)

A paramilitary soldier stands guard at a barricaded road leading to Presidency, in background, and to the venue of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

An army vehicle moves past a welcoming billboard with portraits of China's Premier Li Qiang, center, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, displayed along a road leading to the venue of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

In this photo released by the Press Information Department, visiting China's Premier Li Qiang reviews the guard of honor during a welcome ceremony, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Press Information Department via AP)

In this photo released by the Press Information Department, China's Premier Li Qiang, third left, walks Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, third right, upon his arrival at an airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Press Information Department via AP)

In this photo released by the Press Information Department, visiting China's Premier Li Qiang, left, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attend a attends a welcome ceremony, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Press Information Department via AP)