Cubs 3, Nationals 1: Pitching, defense and just enough hitting

Summer hasn’t quite let go in Chicago yet; another brilliantly sunny, warm September afternoon greeted the Cubs, Nationals and fans at Wrigley Field Friday afternoon.

The wind was blowing out when the game started and that helped Dansby Swanson smack a solo homer into the bleachers in the first inning.

Later, the wind shifted off Lake Michigan and knocked down some fly balls for both teams that might have made the bleachers earlier in the afternoon. That, some strong pitching from Jameson Taillon and a key pinch hit by Mike Tauchman, led the Cubs to a 3-1 win over the Nats, their fifth over the team from DC this year without a loss.

Taillon issued a two-out walk in the first but got out of the…