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Cub Tracks’ stars and swipes

Read all about it! #Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB news you can use, four days a week. Cubs visit the nation’s capital and are victorious behind Drew Smyly’s strong outing. Cody Bellinger is aggressive on the bases early ands sets the tone.

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Chicago Cubs v Washington Nationals Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Welcome to today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

The Cubs opened a four-game series with the Washington Nationals in the nation’s Capital. Lefthander Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.21 ERA, 0.929 WHIP, 3.22 FIP), who has been pitching quite well of late, took the mound opposite fellow southpaw MacKenzie Gore (3-1, 3.00 ERA, 1.296 WHIP, 3.51 FIP). Smyly was good for seven full innings, allowing only one earned run on a Lane Thomas deep fly. Gore wasn’t so fortunate and allowed four in four innings.

The Cubs are facing 15 of the next 21 games on the road, and that will go a long way toward determining how this season will go. A successful May could be a springboard, where an unsuccessful one could be a diving board.

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