CHICAGO, April 8 (UPI) -- Jeff Samardzija allowed only one earned run over 8 2/3 innings Sunday and the Chicago Cubs held on for their first win of year, 4-3 over Washington.
Samardzija (1-0) celebrated his first start as a member of the Cubs' rotation with a sterling performance, yielding three runs (one earned) on four hits without issuing a walk and striking out eight.
Trailing 4-1, the Nationals threatened in the ninth when Ryan Zimmerman reached on shortstop Starlin Castro's throwing error and Adam LaRoche followed with a two-run homer.
Carlos Marmol relieved Samardzija and, after walking Jayson Werth, induced Xavier Nady to foul out, preserving the Cubs' first win of the year and avoiding a three-game sweep at the hands of the Nats.
Alfonso Soriano drove in a pair of runs on a single and sacrifice fly for Chicago.
Washington's Jordan Zimmerman (0-1) took the hard-luck loss, surrendering only one earned run on six hits over seven frames.
