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WASHINGTON -- After Jordan Zimmermann put the Washington Nationals in position to win on the mound, Denard Spans legs and Ryan Zimmermans bat made sure they beat the Chicago Cubs. Zimmermans eighth inning single drove in Span for the go-ahead run as the surging Nationals capped a strong weekend with a 2-1 win over the Cubs on Sunday. The expected pitchers duel took place as Zimmermann outdueled Jake Arrieta over six innings and left with a 1-0 lead. "The starter for them today was as advertised, tough," Zimmerman said of Arrieta. "The way Jordan pitched, that was a game we needed to win." The Cubs tied it in the seventh on Starlin Castros sacrifice fly against Drew Storen. Spans hustle turned a soft hit to right field off Pedro Strop (1-4) into a double leading off the eighth. The Cubs challenged the play, but replay showed that the sliding Span avoided the tag. "The fact that he broke out of the box hard and thought two (bases) from the beginning of it was key for us," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. Two outs later, the Cubs intentionally walked Adam LaRoche to bring up Zimmerman, who ripped a single to left to score Span from second. Tyler Clippard (6-2) worked out of trouble in the eighth inning. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth and earned his 21st save for the Nationals, who have won seven of eight. Washington moved within one-half game of NL East-leading Atlanta. The Nationals took two of three games in the series, including 13-0 on Saturday to break Chicagos four-game winning streak. Zimmermann allowed seven hits with one walk and struck out five. He has given up two earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts. The right-hander is 3-2 with a 1.26 ERA in that span. "I think he found his slider," Williams said. "Gives him another weapon." The Cubs had at least one hit in each of the first six innings, but couldnt generate a clutch one versus Zimmermann. Chicago left 12 runners on base and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. "I fell behind hitters and wasnt able to throw first-pitch strikes," Zimmermann said. "Guys got on base, and I had to work out of a few jams. Other than that I threw the ball well." Following this weekends blockbuster trade that sent starters Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland As, Arrieta inherited the No. 1 role in the Cubs rotation. He has pitched to that level lately. The righty won his four previous starts and flirted with no-hitters in his last two. Arrieta carried a perfect game into the seventh inning on June 24 against Cincinnati and went 7 2-3 innings without allowing a hit at Boston on June 30. Washington ended such hopes immediately. Span hit a fly ball that sailed over the outfielders for a double leading off the first. One out later he scored on Jayson Werths groundout for a 1-0 lead. Arrieta allowed four hits and one run over six innings with three walks and five strikeouts. He gave up two singles to open the fifth, but escaped the jam. Zimmermann struck out while attempting to bunt the runner over. "It was a dogfight," Arrieta said. "I really had to grind it out there. I had guys on base. I had to make pitches in big situations. I was able to do that." Storen entered having allowed only three earned runs this season and only one in 17 appearances since May 17. The Cubs threatened in the eighth, putting runners at second and third with one out against Clippard, but didnt score. Pinch-hitter Wellington Castillo struck out looking, and Ryan Sweeney grounded out. Justin Ruggiano, Anthony Rizzo, and John Baker all had two hits for the Cubs. NOTES: The Cubs recalled RHP Blake Parker from Triple-A Iowa before the game. Parker takes the roster spot created by the trade with Oakland. ... Chicago hasnt announced who will replace Samardzija and Hammel when their rotation spots come up Wednesday and Thursday. Edwin Jackson (5-8, 4.99) will open the five-game series at Cincinnati on Monday against fellow RHP Mike Leake (6-7, 3.47). ... Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-6, 3.53) will face RHP Chris Tillman (7-4, 4.21) on Monday when Baltimore visits Washington. Anfernee Simons Jersey . Mako Vunipola was promoted from the reserves, with Matt Mullan called up to the bench on Thursday. "It is important that Joe is with his partner at this exciting time," England coach Stuart Lancaster said. Bill Walton Jersey . I wondered how NHL coaches would feel about a playoff schedule that allowed them to open a best-of-seven series on the road, which many claim to favour, yet still gave them the precious home-ice edge for a seventh game. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/Brandon-Roy-Blazers-Jersey/ .Tatjana Haenni, FIFAs head of womens competitions, told a FIFA Live Your Goals Tour news conference Friday that the artificial turf is being tested to make sure it meets standards. Terry Porter Jersey .Kraft says Goodell realized before seeing a video showing Baltimore running back Ray Rice striking his then fiance that domestic violence was very serious for society in general. Clyde Drexler Blazers Jersey . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp.MONTREAL -- Michael Putnam and Tim Petrovic mastered the afternoon winds to shoot six-under-par 64s and take a share of the first-round lead at the US$5.7 million RBC Canadian Open on Thursday. But the surprise of the day was big-hitting amateur Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., who shot five-under 65 for a share of third place with Kyle Stanley. Putnam and Petrovic played bogey-free golf at the 7,153-yard par-70 Blue Course at Royal Montreal on a near perfect day for scoring, with sunny weather and soft greens from heavy rains the previous day. A gust wind came in for the those with afternoon starts, but it didnt stop Putnam or Petrovic from shooting the low scores of the day, which set the course record for an opening round. "It was tough ball-striking, but somehow I was able to keep it in the fairway and take advantage of the soft greens to hit a couple of shots close and make a couple of five-to-ten-foot putts," said Putnam, who has been playing his best golf of the season of late with top-35 finishes in his last three outings. The 47-year-old Petrovic didnt know he would play until he got a call on Tuesday saying he was in as the seventh alternate. The former PGA Tour regular, playing only his eighth Tour event this season, didnt even have his name on the program. There was no rust in his game, however. "I didnt set my expectations high because I got in late, so this was kind of my practice round," said Petrovic. "I walked the back nine (Wednesday). "It wasnt that I played conservative. I was just trying to hit fairways and greens, trying to see the golf course and see if I could make a few putts. I drove the ball pretty good overall." There were 11 players tied at 4-under 66, including Nick Watney and Charl Schwartzel, and another 16 at 3-under 67, including David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and two-time Canadian Open champion Jim Furyk. Another dozen were at 2-under 68 and there were 23 at 1-under 69, including top-ranked Canadian Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., and defending champion Brandt Snedeker. Another sunny day is forecast for the second round on Friday, with a possibility of wet weather on the weekend. The 23-year-old Pendrith, Canadas top amateur, had a dream day in his first round of his first Canadian Open. He recently graduated from Kent State University and hopes to play in the world amateur championships this summer before likely turning pro in the fall. Although its early, hes one stroke off the lead of a tournament no Canadian has won since Pat Fletcher in 1954. "I never expected that," said Pendrith. "I was playing good golf coming in here, so I just played golf. "Five-under is pretty nice. Everybody has some nerves. If you didnt have nerves on the first tee something would be wrong with you.dddddddddddd But after I played the first hole, I felt calm and felt I should be here." He played in the last threesome to tee off in the afternoon, when the worst of the wind was up, but used his long drives to cut through the tree-lined fairways and get close to the greens. He had seven birdies, including one on a putt that trickled in on the 18th, and two bogeys. "The front nine suits my game a lot," he said. "I can shoot driver nearly every hole. "I had four birdies on the front nine, all with wedges." Pendrith is 18th in world amateur rankings, tops among Canadians. He and fellow national team members Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., who shot even-par 70, and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., who was at 4-over 74, were given entries into the Open. Stanleys 5-under was the best among the early tee times. "I love this golf course," the Gig Harbor, Wash., native said. "Its similar to the one I grew up with in Washington, so I felt pretty comfortable. "I hit the ball well on my first nine today. I was able to make a few of the long range putts that got the round going for me." The soft greens made for ideal scoring conditions, but Stanley said the course is still a challenge. "That front nine is pretty difficult," he said. "Theres a couple of mid-irons into the par-3s and a 500-yard par-4 (the fourth), so its a kind of sneaky-demanding course." Stanley is best known for posting his only PGA Tour win a week after a memorable collapse. In 2012, he blew a six-shot lead in the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open and lost in a playoff to Snedeker, then bounced back with a victory at the Phoenix Open. This season has been trying for the 26-year-old. He sits 164th in FedEx Cup standings with only one top-25 finish, which was in October. He said it was premature to think about turning the season around after one good round. "Theres a ton of golf left," he said. "Its nice to get a round like this because it shows Im working on the right things." Hearn had a great round going until he bogeyed the 14th and 15th on his back nine. He recovered with a birdie at the 16th. "Any day you come off the course and shoot 3-under and feel you left a few out there, you feel its a good day," said Hearn. "Im not overly disappointed with the way I played. "I hit the ball great from tee to green. If I can continue to do that for the rest of the week I know Im going to play well." It was a rough opening round for some. Both Stephen Ames of Calgary and one of the tournament favourites, Dustin Johnson, shot 4-over 74. John Daly had 6-over 76, Scott McCarron turned in a 78 and Erik Compton shot 79. ' ' '