WASHINGTON — The Chicago Cubs defeated the Washington Nationals 8-3 on June 3, 2025, at Nationals Park, leveraging a potent offensive performance to maintain their lead atop the National League Central. Michael Busch led the Cubs with a home run and three RBIs, while Pete Crow-Armstrong contributed with two stolen bases and two runs scored. The Nationals, despite an early lead, fell to 28-32, remaining third in the National League East.
The game began with the Nationals striking first in the bottom of the first inning. CJ Abrams singled and stole second, later scoring on a sharp line-drive single by Luis García Jr., giving Washington a 1-0 lead. The Cubs responded in the second inning when Busch tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dansby Swanson, tying the game at 1-1.
Washington regained the lead in the third inning. José Tena walked, and Daylen Lile doubled, setting up runners on second and third. Abrams grounded out to score Tena, and James Wood’s sacrifice fly brought Lile home, pushing the Nationals ahead 3-1. The Cubs answered in the fourth, with Crow-Armstrong’s double and stolen base leading to a Busch single that scored him. Swanson’s second sacrifice fly of the game scored Carson Kelly, tying the score at 3-3.
The fifth inning proved decisive for Chicago. Matt Shaw doubled, and Ian Happ singled to put runners in scoring position. Seiya Suzuki’s sacrifice fly scored Shaw, giving the Cubs a 4-3 lead. After a pitching change, Busch drew a bases-loaded walk to score Happ, and Nico Hoerner’s two-run single drove in Crow-Armstrong and Kelly, extending the lead to 7-3. Hoerner also stole second, showcasing Chicago’s aggressive base running, which included four stolen bases in the game.
Busch capped the Cubs’ scoring in the seventh with a solo home run off Zach Brzykcy, his ninth of the season, making the score 8-3. The Nationals struggled to mount a comeback, leaving runners in scoring position and hitting into a double play in the sixth. Chicago’s bullpen, featuring Caleb Thielbar, Génesis Cabrera, and Ryan Pressly, held Washington scoreless over the final three innings, securing the victory.
Cade Horton earned the win for the Cubs, improving to 3-0 despite allowing three runs over 5.1 innings. He struck out three and induced eight groundouts, maintaining composure after the Nationals’ early lead. Trevor Williams took the loss for Washington, falling to 3-6 after surrendering five runs in 4.1 innings. The Nationals’ bullpen, including Andrew Chafin and Cole Henry, allowed three additional runs, unable to contain Chicago’s offense.
The Cubs’ offensive output included nine hits, with Busch going 3-for-4 and Crow-Armstrong stealing his 20th and 21st bases of the season. Hoerner’s two RBIs and stolen base further highlighted Chicago’s balanced attack. For the Nationals, García Jr. led with three hits, including an RBI single, while Abrams and Wood each drove in a run. Washington’s eight hits were not enough to overcome Chicago’s timely hitting and base-running prowess.
The game, attended by 27,702 fans, lasted 2 hours and 35 minutes under clear skies with a temperature of 81 degrees. Umpires Bruce Dreckman, Shane Livensparger, Nate Tomlinson, and Mark Wegner officiated. The first pitch was thrown at 6:46 p.m. EDT.
Chicago’s victory improved their record to 38-22, reinforcing their position as division leaders. The Nationals, now 10 games behind in their division, face challenges in closing the gap. Both teams will look to their next games to build momentum as the season progresses.