Wieters did it again on Sunday.
The Washington catcher snapped an eighth inning tie with a go-ahead grand slam and the Nationals defeated the Cubs 9-4 at Wrigley Field to win the three-game series between division leaders.
It was Wieters' first grand slam since April, 2013, when as a member of the Baltimore Orioles he hit a tie-breaking blast in the 10th inning of a win at Tampa Bay.
Even before Wieters' hit, the eight-inning rally had a little bit of everything.
Bryce Harper's infield single got things going with one out, which chased reliever Mike Montgomery. Facing Carl Edwards Jr., Ryan Zimmerman crushed a double to center field to put runners at second and third. Daniel Murphy was intentionally walked and that move immediately backfired as Edwards' hit Anthony Rendon with his first pitch to tie it at 4-4.
Wieters hit the first pitch he saw to dead center field.
The Nationals had gotten to within one run an inning earlier. Murphy and Rendon hit consecutive doubles off Cubs' starter Jon Lester. Wieters' sacrifice fly on a leaping catch by center fielder Jon Jay made it 4-3.
Before that, it was the Cubs who used the long ball to grab the lead.
Wilson Contreras crushed a pair of solo home runs in both the fourth and sixth innings off Washington starter Erick Fedde. Contreras' second long ball was followed six pitches later by a solo blast from Kyle Schwarber, which put the Cubs ahead 4-1.
Contreras has been excellent against the Nationals in 2017. In seven games, the 25-year old catcher is 9-for-24 (.375) with five home runs.
Fedde, making his second Major League start, allowed four earned runs and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings pitched.
Lester also struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings of work. After Javier Baez had driven in the first run of the day with a two-out single in the second, Lester gave the run back in the third when Wilmer Difo tripled leading off and came around to score on Brian Goodwin's sacrifice fly.
Notes
* The 24-year old Fedde bounced back from a rough big league debut. In his start July 30 against Colorado, the right-hander allowed seven earned runs and 10 hits in just four innings. After Fedde exited, the Washington relief crew - Oliver Perez, Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle - combined for 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball.
* Washington's visit to Wrigley went much better than the 2016 trip. Last May, the Cubs swept the four-game series, which included a Baez walk-off home run in the 13th inning of the finale.
Even before Wieters' hit, the eight-inning rally had a little bit of everything.
Bryce Harper's infield single got things going with one out, which chased reliever Mike Montgomery. Facing Carl Edwards Jr., Ryan Zimmerman crushed a double to center field to put runners at second and third. Daniel Murphy was intentionally walked and that move immediately backfired as Edwards' hit Anthony Rendon with his first pitch to tie it at 4-4.
Wieters hit the first pitch he saw to dead center field.
The Nationals had gotten to within one run an inning earlier. Murphy and Rendon hit consecutive doubles off Cubs' starter Jon Lester. Wieters' sacrifice fly on a leaping catch by center fielder Jon Jay made it 4-3.
Before that, it was the Cubs who used the long ball to grab the lead.
Wilson Contreras crushed a pair of solo home runs in both the fourth and sixth innings off Washington starter Erick Fedde. Contreras' second long ball was followed six pitches later by a solo blast from Kyle Schwarber, which put the Cubs ahead 4-1.
Contreras has been excellent against the Nationals in 2017. In seven games, the 25-year old catcher is 9-for-24 (.375) with five home runs.
Fedde, making his second Major League start, allowed four earned runs and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings pitched.
Lester also struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings of work. After Javier Baez had driven in the first run of the day with a two-out single in the second, Lester gave the run back in the third when Wilmer Difo tripled leading off and came around to score on Brian Goodwin's sacrifice fly.
Notes
* The 24-year old Fedde bounced back from a rough big league debut. In his start July 30 against Colorado, the right-hander allowed seven earned runs and 10 hits in just four innings. After Fedde exited, the Washington relief crew - Oliver Perez, Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle - combined for 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball.
* Washington's visit to Wrigley went much better than the 2016 trip. Last May, the Cubs swept the four-game series, which included a Baez walk-off home run in the 13th inning of the finale.
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