Chicago • Three October heartbreaks, three demoralizing first-round exits and promise left unfulfilled have the Washington Nationals conditioned not to expect much in the way of good luck when the postseason comes around. But baseball's higher powers, coupled with modern medicine, created a flurry of favorable circumstances Wednesday at Wrigley Field, and the Nationals did not squander the good fortune.
Rain and a last-gasp antibiotic switch gifted Stephen Strasburg the time and vigor to take the ball and dominate the Chicago Cubs in a 5-0 win in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. A bad hop on a routine groundball produced their first run instead of their third out of the third inning.