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

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:29 PM CDT Sunday, Mar. 29, 2026

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.

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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.

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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.

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)

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.