Wiemer’s Early Blast Lifts Nationals Past Cubs in Wrigleyville

The Washington Nationals came to Wrigley Field on Sunday and delivered a master class in early offensive explosiveness, jumping all over Shota Imanaga before the Chicago Cubs could even get settled into their seats. This wasn’t a game, it was a coronation, and Joey Wiemer held the crown.

Wiemer’s towering three-run blast in the first inning off Imanaga didn’t just put runs on the board, it put the Cubs on notice. The young Nationals slugger absolutely demolished a first-pitch fastball to left-center, and just like that, Washington had a 3-0 lead before most fans finished their coffee. That’s the kind of early momentum that either carries you through nine innings or haunts you for the rest of the season. For Chicago, unfortunately, it would be the latter.

Nationals’ Pitching Shuts Down the North Side

Jake Irvin was nothing short of masterful for Washington, scattering just three hits over five innings while striking out seven. The Cubs managed to score twice in the fourth inning when Alex Bregman and Ian Happ went back-to-back with solo shots, but Imanaga’s early damage had already sentenced Chicago to chasing the game. Imanaga himself pitched adequately with seven strikeouts, but four earned runs in five innings won’t cut it, especially not when your opponents break the game open immediately.

This is where you have to give Washington credit. They didn’t allow the Cubs any oxygen. After Bregman and Happ made things interesting in the fourth, the Nationals responded with clinical precision. Keibert Ruiz delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth to extend the lead, then came back with a two-run moonshot in the eighth inning that essentially ended any hope of a Chicago comeback.

Bregman’s Heroics Go Unrewarded in Loss

You have to tip your cap to Bregman, who launched two home runs on Sunday in what was clearly his most impressive day in a Cubs uniform so far. The former Astro absolutely carried his team’s offensive burden, but it wasn’t enough against a Nationals squad that was simply operating on a different level. Bregman’s second homer in the eighth cut the final deficit to three, but the damage had been done hours earlier when Wiemer turned this game into a laugher.

Clayton Beeter came in for the save opportunity and made short work of the ninth inning, preserving a clean sheet that reflected just how thoroughly Washington dominated. This was a statement win for a Nationals team that clearly has ambitions beyond playing .500 baseball in 2026. The Cubs, meanwhile, are left searching for answers and wondering how a team that looked so promising in the offseason can fall so flat against an opponent that showed up ready to play from pitch one.

Sunday at Wrigley belonged entirely to Washington. The Nationals came, they saw, and most importantly, they conquered.