Nats Nightly: Nationals come up short in 4-3 loss to John Lackey and the Cubs

WASHINGTON: Chicago starter John Lackey took the mound last night in Washington, D.C.'s Nationals Park with a five-start unbeaten streak going, over which he was (3-0) with the Cubs 4-1 in his outings.

Lackey, 37, had a 1.34 ERA, nine walks (2.41 BB/9) and 37 Ks (9.89 K/9) in 33 ⅔ IP during that stretch, holding opposing hitters to a combined .180/.252/.261 line.

He continued his solid run with six innings of work in the nation's capital, giving up four hits and two runs, both earned, walking two and striking out seven in a 98-pitch effort in which he ultimately received no decision.

"Big Lackey really didn't come over the heart of the plate at all," Nats' skipper Dusty Baker told reporters.

"He was dotting the outside part of the plate, starting guys off with breaking balls. He pitched a very good game. Lackey knows how to pitch."

After trailing the entire night, the Nationals rallied to tie it with runs on sac flies by Ben Revere and Anthony Rendon in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.

A half-inning after the they tied it, however, the Nats fell behind when Sammy Solis issued a leadoff walk to Addison Russell and gave up a go-ahead by Alberto Almora, Jr., who lined a first-pitch slider to left-center to bring Russell in.

"He's been great for us," Baker said when asked about Solis, who had a streak of 14 ⅓ scoreless innings, which went back to the Nationals' series with the Cubs in Wrigley Field.

"He just made one bad pitch, he got the slider up and that was really the only bad pitch he's made in I don't know how long. He could have popped up, he didn't miss it and we had opportunities."

Washington went 1 for 5 with seven left on base in what ended up a 4-3 loss.

We talked about the game on the latest edition of Nats Nightly: