Harper, Zimmerman long balls turn series around for Nats

WASHINGTON — The Cubs return home tied 1-1 with the Nationals after a 6-3 defeat Saturday in Game 2 of this best-of-five series.

The Cubs controlled the game much of the way, but two eighth-inning homers by the Nats turned things around.

Game 3 is scheduled for Monday at Wrigley Field.

Long balls turn around series for Nats

Hanger. Banger. Tie game.

High fly. Over the wall. Tied no more.

Bryce Harper hit a ball a mile and a half off Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. in the bottom of the eighth, making Game 2 all square at 3-3. As you read this, the ball may or may not have landed. Harper, the Nats’ superstar, needed one swing to go full-on into beast mode.

Ryan Zimmerman followed shortly thereafter with a three-run shot off Mike Montgomery to make it 6-3.

Starter Jon Lester won’t get the victory tonight, but no one cares about that. Momentum has shifted in a giant way. The Cubs are in a dogfight of a series. It’s looking like one victory apiece heading back to Wrigley Field.

Strop works scoreless seventh

The Cubs’ bullpen, a growing story of this NLDS, arrived in the seventh inning in the form of Pedro Strop. The hard-throwing right-hander retired Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth before hitting Matt Wieters with a pitch. Strop then induced a ground ball from Michael A. Taylor to third baseman Kris Bryant, who threw to second for an inning-ending forceout.

After Carl Edwards Jr.’s and Wade Davis’ clean work in the Cubs’ 3-0 victory in Game 1, the bullpen — overshadowed by the Nats’ group coming in — is beginning to look like a real strength.

The Cubs were scoreless in the top of the eighth, bringing on Edwards to pitch the bottom half of the inning against pinch hitter Adam Lind, followed by the top of the Nats’ order.

Lester takes down heart of Nats lineup again

The Cubs’ Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo got to Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg in their third trips to the plate in Game 1. The Cubs’ Game 2 starter, Jon Lester, had to try to avoid similar trouble as he faced the Nats’ top hitters for the third time in the sixth inning.

And he got it done on what is shaping up to be one of his finer nights as a Cub. Lester retired Bryce Harper on a grounder to shortstop Addison Russell, Anthony Rendon on a grounder to Russell and Daniel Murphy on a deep fly to center fielder Albert Almora Jr.

The Cubs are nine outs away from what would be a seriously commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series. Is it too soon to use those words out loud?

Due up for the Cubs in the sixth: Ben Zobrist, Javy Baez and Ian Happ against reliever Matt Albers.

Lester escapes bases-loaded jam in fifth

The bottom of the fifth became a high-wire act for Jon Lester.

He allowed a leadoff single to Ryan Zimmerman. He walked both Michael Taylor and Howie Kendrick. Along the way, there was a stolen base and a wild pitch.

And nobody scored. Holy hanging on by the skin of your teeth, Batman.

Lester threw 29 pitches in the inning — by far his most taxing of the game — but he got out of it. The Cubs took a 3-1 lead into the top of the sixth. With Lester still at only 73 pitches and his spot not due up in the order for a while, his night’s work isn’t done.

About that fan who caught Rizzo’s homer

Sean Thompson, you are the man.

Thompson is the Cubs fan from Virginia who caught Anthony Rizzo’s fourth-inning home run ball.

You know who else is the man? Sun-Times scribe Daryl Van Schouwen. He barreled out of the press box and into the Washington night until he located Thompson in the bleachers in right.

Yeah, that’s right — we just referred to two guys as “the man.” They shall be known as the men from tonight forward.

Cubs taking charge of Game 2

The bottom of the fourth — what a test for Jon Lester, with Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy due up and Ryan Zimmerman waiting.

But Lester went straight at them like a presidential tweet in the night. He battled Harper until the superstar grounded sharply up the middle to shortstop Addison Russell. Then he got Rendon — whose earlier solo home run had opened the scoring — to dribble back to the mound. (Yes, yes, Lester underhanded the ball to first for the out.) And Murphy popped weakly into short left field.

Lester is rolling. With only 44 pitches thrown so far, he has a chance to go very deep into this game.

Rizzo goes deep for 3-1 Cubs lead

Hello, Mr. Rizzo.

Anthony Rizzo took Gio Gonzalez deep in the top of the fourth inning to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead over the Nationals. Rizzo’s shot — which barely cleared the wall in the deepest part of right-center — brought in Kris Bryant, who led off the inning with a ringing double to left.

And how about that fan who needed but a single hand to snare Rizzo’s descending fly ball? Heck of a play, big fella. Heck of a play.

There was a brief review of the play, but the call of a home run was upheld. After that, a feeble chant of “let’s go, Gio” rose from the stands, sort of. Nats fans seem pretty rattled. Anyway, Gonzalez escaped further damage. On to the fifth we go.

Contreras, Lester leading the way for Cubs

So far, it’s all about batterymates Jon Lester and Willson Contreras, the latter of whom hit the long ball that gave the Cubs their only run.

A seven-pitch third inning? Yep. That’s what Lester just delivered.

He got Michael Taylor on an 0-1 lineout to center fielder Albert Almora Jr. Gio Gonzalez flew out to left fielder Ian Happ on a 1-1 pitch. And then Trea Turner grounded back to the mound on the second pitch he saw.

Man, you should’ve seen Lester’s expert marksmanship as he underhanded the ball to first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

The 33-year-old, $155 million man is settling in. That’s why the Cubs pay him the big bucks.

Lester highly efficient through two innings

Two innings in, things are beginning to take shape.

Jon Lester gave up the first home run, but he has been more efficient than Nats starter Gio Gonzalez. The Cubs will take Lester’s dozen-pitches-per-inning pace all night. Gonzalez has thrown 32.

Did we mention that Lester is making his 20th career postseason start? That’s second-most among active big leaguers, behind good ol’ John Lackey (23). Lester also trails only Lackey in postseason innings and is first in strikeouts.

Contreras goes yard

There it goes — a Willson Contreras homer to left in the top of the second to tie the Nats 1-1. Left fielder Jayson Werth at first came in on the ball, then realized Contreras is a major leaguer with serious pop in his bat.

The crowd gasped and groaned, as one would expect. Or was it just the wind blowing out to left? Game back on.

Rendon homers for 1-0 Nats lead

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon, something of a goat in Game 1 of the NLDS the night before, got the Nats up and running in Game 2 with a solo home run against Jon Lester in the first inning of Game 2.

It was Rendon’s second career postseason homer, and it gave the Nats a 1-0 lead after one inning.

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez got off to a perfect start Saturday, retiring leadoff man Albert Almora on a fly ball to right field and striking out the Cubs’ offensive heroes of Game 1, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo.

Some Cubs are chasing postseason milestones

Kris Bryant is one hit from tying Dexter Fowler for the most hits — 28 — in Cubs postseason history. Anthony Rizzo is one behind Bryant, with 26. Wildfire Schulte had 25, but you knew that already.

Believe it or not, Bryant, Rizzo and Addison Russell are tied for most RBI in Cubs postseason history, with 14.

Starting pitcher Jon Lester’s nine postseason victories ties him with Yankees lefty CC Sabathia for the most among active players.

Cubs set Game 2 lineup

The Cubs stacked their lineup with right-handed hitters for Game 2 of the NLDS Saturday (4:38 CST, TBS, 670-AM).

Here’s how Joe Maddon wrote it out for their game against the Nationals and left-hander Gio Gonzalez: Albert Almora, CF; Kris Bryant, 3B; Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Willson Contreras, C; Addison Russell, SS; Ben Zobrist, RF; Javy Baez, 2B; Ian Happ, LF.

Cubs left-hander Jon Lester will oppose Gonzalez as the Cubs look to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best of five series. Game 3 is Monday at Wrigley Field.

Against Nats right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who was dominant in the Cubs’ 3-0 victory in Game 1, Maddon started an all-lefty swinging outfield of Kyle Schwarber in left field, Jason Heyward in center and the switch-hitting Zobrist in right.

Here’s how the Nats will line up against Lester:

Turner SS, Harper RF, Rendon 3B, Murphy 2B, Zimmerman 1B, Werth LF, Wieters C, Taylor CF, Gonzalez P