CHICAGO, April 5 (UPI) -- Ian Desmond scored one run and drove in the other Thursday in lifting the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
Desmond was 3-for-5 on the day but the rest of the Nationals managed just one hit. Washington was helped by six bases on balls from Chicago pitching, however.
Nationals starter Steven Strasburg allowed five hits and struck out five in seven innings before yielding to Tyler Clippard (1-0), who ended up with the win. Brad Lidge got the save.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Marlon Byrd singled in Ian Stewart.
Chicago starter Ryan Dempster entered the eighth with a one-hitter but, after opening the inning with a strikeout, allowed a single to Desmond. Dempster recorded his 10th strikeout of the game before being replaced by Kerry Wood.
Wood walked the first three batters he faced, with a base on balls to Jayson Werth, who was down in the count 0-2, forcing in the tying run.
Carlos Marmol was brought in to pitch the ninth for the Cubs and got two out. But Chad Tracy doubled and Desmond followed with an RBI single.
