Jameson Taillon vs Nationals

Jameson Taillon led the Chicago Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday, pitching six scoreless innings while allowing only two hits and striking out four batters. This performance marked Taillon's fourth consecutive quality start, lowering his ERA to 3.41 and improving his record to 11-8 for the season. Dansby Swanson contributed with a home run, and pinch-hitter Mike Tauchman drove in two runs in the seventh inning, helping the Cubs maintain their slim postseason hopes with eight games left. The Nationals, on the other hand, extended their losing streak to five games. Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Taillon's clever pitching, particularly his effective cutter against left-handed batters. The win keeps the Cubs six games back in the race for the last NL wild card spot.