Cody Bellinger knocks in 3 as Cubs beat Nationals 7-6 to stave off postseason elimination

Cubs avoid elimination for another night with another stellar outing from Patrick Wisdom

Bellinger's three RBIs made the difference in a must-win game, Willson Contreras homers

The Chicago Cubs kept their playoff hopes alive with a 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night at Nationals Park. The win forces a Game 3 in the Wild Card Series on Wednesday, with the Cubs needing to win to advance to the NL Division Series. Leading the way for the Cubs was Cody Bellinger, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the fifth inning that put the Cubs ahead for good. Willson Contreras also homered for the Cubs, who got a solid outing from starting pitcher Patrick Wisdom. Wisdom allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings, striking out five and walking one. The bullpen turned in a strong performance, with Keegan Thompson, Rowan Wick, and Brandon Hughes combining to allow just one run on two hits over the final four innings. The Nationals jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning off Wisdom. But the Cubs came right back with three runs in the second, including a solo homer from Contreras. The game remained close throughout, with the Nationals tying it up in the third and taking a 4-3 lead in the fourth. But Bellinger's two-run single in the fifth put the Cubs back in front, and they added two more runs in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. The Nationals made things interesting in the ninth, scoring two runs off Hughes to make it a 7-6 game. But Hughes was able to get the final two outs, securing the win for the Cubs. With the win, the Cubs avoid elimination and force a Game 3 in the Wild Card Series. The two teams will meet again at Nationals Park on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the NL Division Series to face the Atlanta Braves.