Imanaga shines on the mound as Cubs blank Nationals

CHICAGO — Shota Imanaga pitched seven crisp innings in his sixth consecutive win, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Sunday.

Imanaga (15-3) was backed by home runs from Mike Tauchman, Michael Busch and Miguel Amaya. The Japanese left-hander allowed six hits, struck out four and walked none, continuing his strong finish to his first season in the majors.

“He did a good job with that heater kind of up and away to them,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Pretty simple game plan and he executed it very well.”

The start of the game was delayed for 2 hours, 20 minutes because of rain. The Wrigley Field crowd of 30,086 passed the time by watching much of the Bears’ 21-16 loss at Indianapolis on the massive videoboard in left-center.

“Today I kept in mind … that there is a possibility it might continue to rain and there might be a delay,” Imanaga said through a translator. “So just keeping that in mind and not getting swayed too much with how the environment is around me and just focusing on the game.”

The Cubs (80-76), who were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday, took three of four in the series. They went 6-1 against the Nationals this season.

James Wood and José Tena each had two of Washington’s eight hits. Jake Irvin (10-13) allowed five runs and four hits in four innings.

The Nationals (69-87) closed out a 1-6 trip. They finished their road schedule with a 33-48 record.

“We just couldn’t drive in any runs,” manager Dave Martinez said. “The biggest thing is, we got to get better in driving in runs, attacking the strike zone, staying in the strike zone. We just start chasing.”

Tauchman got Chicago off to a fast start when he drove a 2-0 fastball from Irvin off the bottom of the scoreboard in right for a leadoff drive in the first inning. It was Tauchman’s seventh homer of the season.

“He steps in there and has that at-bat. I think that just builds some momentum for us,” Busch said, “and kind of just built off of that.”

The Cubs broke it open with three runs in the fourth. Busch led off with his 21st homer, a drive to right on a 2-1 fastball. With Pete Crow-Armstrong aboard after a two-out walk, Amaya went deep for his eighth on the year.

Irvin was coming off a pair of impressive starts, allowing a total of two runs and six hits in 13 1/3 innings.

Washington had its best scoring opportunity in the eighth against Ethan Roberts. With runners on the corners and one out, Joey Gallo sent a pinch-hit liner down the right field line. Umpire Tripp Gibson originally said it was foul, but then changed his mind and ruled it was a ground-rule double.

The Cubs challenged the call and it was overturned. Gallo then struck out swinging and Luis García Jr. bounced to shortstop, ending the inning.

Cubs left fielder Ian Happ was scratched with lower back tightness. Counsell said he is day to day.

Following an off day, Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-10, 4.44 ERA) starts Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game home series against Kansas City.

Cubs right-hander Nate Pearson (2-2, 4.71 ERA) takes the mound on Monday night for the opener of a three-game set at Philadelphia. Pearson is making his first start of the season.