Nationals take opening series in Chicago with 6-3 win over Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — Joey Wiemer and Keibert Ruiz homered and the Washington Nationals earned a season-opening series win with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Jake Irvin (1-0) allowed two runs and three hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in five innings and Clayton Beeter, the last of four Washington relievers, worked a clean ninth for his first save. Washington took two of three in the series.

Alex Bregman hit two solo home runs — his first since joining the Cubs as a free agent — and Ian Happ added one.

Brady House and Daylen Lile hit consecutive two-out singles off Shota Imanaga (0-1) in the first and Wiemer followed with his second homer of the season to give Washington a 3-0 lead.

Imanaga also gave up Wiemer’s leadoff triple in the fourth, but stranded him there with three straight outs. Wiemer was 3 for 3 with a walk.

Ruiz added a two-run homer off reliever Hoby Milner in the eighth.

Bregman, who signed a five-year, $175 million contract in January, hit a solo shot to center to start the fourth and Happ added his second of the season two pitches later to make it 3-2.

Bregman added an eighth-inning solo shot to right field off Cionel Pérez.

Imanaga was pulled after walking the leadoff man in the sixth. He gave up six hits and four runs while walking two and striking out seven.

Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews, who captained the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Nationals: at Phillies where Washington's Foster Griffin faces Philadelphia's Taijuan Walker on Monday.

Cubs: host Angels. Ryan Johnson starts for Los Angeles against Chicago's Edward Cabrera on Monday.

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

Washington Nationals Jake Irvin (27) pitches the ball during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Geoff Stellfox)

Chicago Cubs Ian Happ (8) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Geoff Stellfox)

Chicago Cubs Ian Happ (8) hits a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Geoff Stellfox)

Washington Nationals Andrés Chaparro (87) reacts after striking out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Geoff Stellfox)

Washington Nationals Keibert Ruiz (20) celebrates hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Geoff Stellfox)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yandy Díaz singled four times, doubled and drove in four runs, and Steven Matz notched the victory against his former team as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-7 on Sunday to avoid a season-opening sweep.

Jonathan Aranda added three hits and two RBIs, and Cedric Mullins also drove in two as the top three in the Rays' lineup combined for nine hits and eight RBIs.

Díaz, Aranda and Mullins strung together consecutive two-out RBI doubles against Dustin May (0-1) in the fourth inning to push Tampa Bay's lead to 6-1. The Rays tacked on three runs in the eighth off Matthew Pushard in his big league debut, and Díaz had an infield RBI single in the ninth to match his career best with five hits.

Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman and Pedro Pagés homered for St. Louis.

Matz (1-0) was making his first start since September 2024, when he lost his spot in the Cardinals’ rotation and got moved to the bullpen. He was traded to Boston in July and then signed with the Rays in the offseason.

Matz pitched five innings and gave up four runs on six hits, including a three-run homer by Walker. In the eighth, Gorman hit a solo shot and Pagés a two-run drive to cut the deficit to 9-7.

May lasted only four innings in his Cardinals debut, giving up six runs on 10 hits. He struck out three and gave up walk.

It was a breakthrough for the Rays, who had managed only one extra-base hit in their first two games despite racking up 23 singles. That was the most singles for any major league team in their first two games since at least 1900.

Rays RHP Nick Martinez and Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison will each making their first start for their new teams Monday at Milwaukee.

Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy, who moved from the bullpen after starting the final game of 2025, starts Monday against Mets RHP Clay Holmes.

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

Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Díaz hits an RBI single in the second inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Thomas Saggese catches a line drive hit by Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Richie Palacios throws out St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson at first base in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Steven Matz throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)