Anyone searching for Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs match player stats usually wants a fast answer to one question: who actually won this game for their team? The latest 2026 meeting between the clubs that shows up in published box scores was a 7-0 Nationals victory at Nationals Park on August 13, and the numbers are lopsided enough to make the answer easy. Cade Cavalli dominated on the mound, Abimelec Ortiz supplied the power, and the Cubs lineup was held to a single hit.
This guide walks through that game player by player, then explains how to read the numbers and looks back at the two three-game series the teams played this year. You will find hitting and pitching lines, plain-English definitions, and a few patterns that the final scores alone would hide.
Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Player Stats at a Glance
The short answer: in the latest 2026 game, the Nationals beat the Cubs 7-0 behind eight scoreless innings from Cade Cavalli and a three-RBI night from Abimelec Ortiz. Chicago’s only hit was a single by Michael Busch. These are the individual lines that shaped the game.
| Player | Team | Stat line (August 13, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Cade Cavalli | Nationals | 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K |
| Abimelec Ortiz | Nationals | 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R |
| Dylan Crews | Nationals | 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI |
| Daylen Lile | Nationals | 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI |
| Jorbit Vivas | Nationals | 1-for-3, BB, 1 R, 1 RBI |
| Michael Busch | Cubs | 1-for-3 (the only Cubs hit) |
| Kevin Gausman | Cubs | 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K |
| Aaron Civale | Cubs | 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K |
These figures come from published box scores. Official scorers occasionally revise a ruling after the fact, so for anything that matters, such as a fantasy decision or a published recap, cross-check the official MLB game log before you rely on a single number.
Nationals 7, Cubs 0: The August 13 Box Score in Detail
The game was played at Nationals Park in front of 21,463 fans and wrapped up in a brisk two hours and 20 minutes. Washington scored in only three innings, but one of them was a five-run fifth that settled the contest. Afterward Chicago stood at 71-51 on the season and Washington at 60-63.
Cade Cavalli Carries the Pitching Staff
Cavalli’s line is the headline of the whole box score. He worked eight innings, allowed one hit and no runs, walked two, and struck out ten on 103 pitches, 63 of them strikes. Clayton Beeter then handled a hitless ninth with one more strikeout. Together the pair allowed a single hit, issued two walks, and struck out 11 Cubs.
That kind of efficiency is rare. Throwing roughly 61 percent strikes while keeping hitters off balance is how a starter gets through eight innings without a bullpen scramble, and it kept the Cubs from ever building a rally.
The Nationals Hitters Who Drove the Offense
Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored, and his homer was the only one in the game. Dylan Crews and Daylen Lile each collected two hits and an RBI, while Jorbit Vivas went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run, and an RBI. Andrew Pinckney drove in a run without recording a hit, a good reminder that RBIs do not always come from base hits.
As a team, Washington finished with 10 hits and seven RBIs. Seven of the nine lineup spots picked up at least one hit, which points to depth rather than a one-man show. Leadoff man CJ Abrams added a single and a run, so even the top of the order contributed.
Why the Cubs Offense Went Quiet
Chicago starter Kevin Gausman gave up seven hits and six earned runs over 4.2 innings. He struck out seven, but the damage came quickly, and the game’s only home run came off him. Aaron Civale covered the final 3.1 innings and allowed three hits and one run.
At the plate, Busch’s single was the lone Cubs hit, and Dansby Swanson drew both of the team’s walks. Chicago hitters struck out 11 times in 27 at-bats, with Pete Crow-Armstrong going 0-for-4 and striking out three times. Three baserunners all night leave even a talented lineup with almost no chance of mounting a comeback.
Reading the Stats: What Each Number Means
A box score looks dense at first, but the abbreviations are simple once you know them. For hitters, AB means at-bats, H means hits, R means runs scored, HR means home runs, RBI means runs batted in, BB means walks, and SO or K means strikeouts. A line such as 2-for-4 simply tells you the player had two hits in four official at-bats.
Pitchers have their own shorthand. IP is innings pitched, and the decimal can trip people up: 4.2 means four and two-thirds innings, not four and a fifth. ER stands for earned runs, the runs charged to the pitcher without help from defensive errors, and those feed into earned run average, the standard measure of how many earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings. If you enjoy easy explainers like this one, there are more reads on the blog covering a wide range of topics.
One more tip: walks matter more than they look. Swanson went 0-for-1 on August 13 yet reached base twice, which is exactly why on-base numbers are worth checking next to batting average. A hitter who goes hitless but works two walks has still helped his team more than the batting line suggests.
How the 2026 Season Series Played Out
Published box scores show the teams meeting in two three-game series this year: one at Wrigley Field in March and one at Nationals Park in August. The clubs split those six games evenly, three wins each.
| Date | Location | Final | Notable performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 26 | Wrigley Field | Nationals 10, Cubs 4 | Joey Wiemer 3-for-3 with a HR; Brady House HR, 2 RBI; Michael Busch 3-for-4 (Cubs) |
| March 28 | Wrigley Field | Cubs 10, Nationals 2 | Ian Happ three-run HR; Miguel Amaya HR, 2 RBI; James Wood solo HR (Nationals) |
| March 29 | Wrigley Field | Nationals 6, Cubs 3 | Wiemer HR, 3 RBI; Keibert Ruiz HR, 3 RBI; Alex Bregman 2 HR (Cubs) |
| August 11 | Nationals Park | Cubs 8, Nationals 6 | Cubs win the series opener |
| August 12 | Nationals Park | Cubs 12, Nationals 6 | Most runs by either team in the six games |
| August 13 | Nationals Park | Nationals 7, Cubs 0 | Cavalli 8 IP, 10 K; Ortiz HR, 3 RBI |
March: A Wrigley Field Series Decided by Power
In March, the Nationals took two of three at Wrigley Field, the ivy-covered ballpark where the Cubs have played their home games for over a century. The opener went to Washington on the strength of a six-run fourth inning. Wiemer went 3-for-3 with a home run, House added a homer and two RBIs, and Jacob Young connected as well.
Chicago answered on March 28 with a 10-2 win. Happ’s three-run homer and an Amaya shot powered an offense that also drew six walks. The finale on March 29 went to the Nationals 6-3. Wiemer launched a three-run homer in the first inning off Shota Imanaga, Ruiz added an eighth-inning blast and finished with three RBIs, and starter Jake Irvin struck out seven over five innings for the win. Bregman hit two home runs for Chicago and Happ hit another, but all three were solo shots, and the Cubs never held the lead.
August: Chicago Takes Two of Three in Washington
The Cubs opened the August series with an 8-6 win on the 11th and followed it with a 12-6 victory the next night, the biggest output by either side in the six games. The Nationals’ 7-0 win in the finale avoided a sweep, and the series ended 2-1 for Chicago. Individual lines for the first two August games are available in the full box scores if you want to dig deeper.
Patterns Worth Noticing Across the Six Games
The most surprising fact is how even the rivalry was. Add up all six games and each club finished with exactly 37 runs. The Nationals scored 10, 2, 6, 6, 6, and 7, while the Cubs scored 4, 10, 3, 8, 12, and 0.
Every game produced at least seven combined runs, so these were hitters’ games far more than pitching duels. The winning team scored at least six runs each time, and no game was decided by fewer than two runs. Even the shutout needed seven Washington runs to feel comfortable.
Strikeouts told only part of the story. Washington struck out 12 times on March 26 and still scored 10 runs. What separated the teams was timely hitting with runners on base, such as the Nationals’ six-run fourth inning in that first game and their five-run fifth in the last one. If you like following sports alongside other trending stories, the news section is a good place to browse next.
Where to Double-Check Official Player Stats
For the most reliable numbers, start with the official MLB game page for the date you care about. ESPN and Baseball-Reference both publish full box scores with batting and pitching lines, play-by-play, and scoring summaries. If two sites differ slightly, trust the official MLB record, since scoring decisions such as hits versus errors can change within a day of the game.
It also helps to know which kind of stat you need. A single-game box score shows what happened that day, while season totals show how a player is performing over time. Mixing the two is a common mistake, and it can make one big game look like a trend.
Conclusion
The best way to understand Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs match player stats is to pair the final score with the individual lines behind it. In the latest 2026 meeting, Cade Cavalli’s eight scoreless innings and Abimelec Ortiz’s three-RBI game turned a 7-0 Nationals win into a one-sided box score, while the Cubs managed only one hit.
Across the two series this year, the teams split the six games and finished with identical run totals, which tells you how closely matched they were. Use the tables above as a quick reference, and check official sources for any updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score of the latest Nationals vs Cubs game?
The Nationals beat the Cubs 7-0 on August 13, 2026, at Nationals Park. It was the most recent 2026 meeting found in published box scores.
Who was the best player in the Nationals vs Cubs game on August 13?
Pitcher Cade Cavalli was the standout, throwing eight scoreless innings with ten strikeouts. Abimelec Ortiz was the top hitter, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
Who hit a home run in the August 13 game?
Abimelec Ortiz of the Nationals hit the only home run of the game, and it came off Cubs starter Kevin Gausman.
How many hits did the Cubs get on August 13?
The Cubs had one hit, a single by Michael Busch. They also drew two walks and struck out 11 times.
Who won the 2026 season series between the Nationals and Cubs?
In the two three-game series found in published box scores, the teams split the six games, three wins each. The Nationals won the March series at Wrigley Field 2-1, and the Cubs won the August series at Nationals Park 2-1.
How do you read a baseball box score?
Read hitters left to right: at-bats, runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, walks, and strikeouts. For pitchers, check innings pitched, hits, earned runs, walks, and strikeouts.
Where can I find Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs match player stats?
The official MLB website, ESPN, and Baseball-Reference all publish full box scores with batting and pitching lines for every game.
