These Cubs and Nats squared off over the weekend, starting this series as division leaders who had both won five of their past six games. At 20-6 (Cubs) and 19-8 (Nats) both teams were off to franchise-best starts in the live ball era. After four games, the Cub juggernaut rolls on, leaving the Nationals to lick their wounds.

More on this series after the jump.

In the opener, Ben Zobrist delivered four RBI in a 5-2 triumph as Kyle Henricks took the win with six scoreless innings. Hendricks finished the game with a nifty 1.000 season WHIP. His 1.137 WHIP for his first two seasons is second best by a Cub in the live ball era in 250+ IP, just a hair more than Mark Prior‘s 1.125 mark. Joe Ross was the tough luck loser for Washington, allowing just two runs in 6.2 IP, his fourth 6 IP start of the season allowing two earned runs or less. In the first 21 games of his career (only 18 of them starts), Ross has compiled eleven such games, tied with Stephen Strasburg for the fourth highest such total by an Expo or National.

In game two, Zobrist delivered four more RBI as the Cubs prevailed 8-6. It was the first such back-to-back in Zobrist’s career, and the first since 1913 for a Cub second baseman. Washington starter Max Scherzer allowed four home runs (two by Zobrist), tied for the most of his career.

In game three, Washington actually led the game 4-2 after batting in the top of the sixth. But, the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead for Nats starter Gio Gonzalez, as Cub shortstop Addison Russell delivered a two-out two-RBI single for the go ahead runs in the 8th inning of an 8-5 win. The pitching decisions went to the Cubs’ Adam Warren and Nats’ Sammy Solis, both of whom also carded a blown save for their efforts. Bryce Harper failed to record an official AB in four trips to the plate, drawing three walks for the second time in the series; Joe Maddon evidently was not going to let Washington’s superstar beat his team.

Jake Arrieta took the mound for the home side in the finale; after a 24-game streak of quality starts, Arrieta lasted only five innings for the second time in three outings, but kept alive his streak of 27 starts of 5+ IP allowing 3 ER or less, tied with Bob Gibson and fellow Cub Mike Morgan for the 4th longest run since 1913. Washington again held a late lead and again gave it up as, after a Jason Heyward sacrifice bunt in the 7th, Kris Bryant greeted Yusmeiro Petit with a two-run single to knot the game at 3-3. The Nats got their leadoff man aboard in the 9th but, instead of sacrificing him to second, Daniel Murphy followed with a GIDP, setting the stage for Javier Baez‘s 13th inning walk-off homer for a 4-3 win. For the game, Washington left an astounding 21 men on base, including 8 in the four extra frames in which the Nats twice left the bases loaded. For the second game in a row, Chicago didn’t let Bryce Harper hit, walking him six times and plunking him once; it’s the first searchable instance of a player having consecutive four PA games without an AB. For the series, Harper walked 13 times in 19 PA as Chicago consistently preferred to face Ryan Zimmerman, a strategy that worked beautifully as the Z-Man scuffled with a 2 for 19. Washington may be wise to instead have another left-handed batter hit behind Harper (Daniel Murphy, presumably); with the righty Zimmerman following Harper, the enticement to walk the Nats slugger to face a weaker hitter and (usually) get a platoon advantage in the bargain is like dessert with whipped cream and a cherry on top.