Joey Wiemer and Keibert Ruiz homered, and Jake Irvin struck out seven as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Sunday.

Wiemer continued his hot start to the season, going 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs as Washington claimed the three-game series. By reaching base in each of his first eight plate appearances as a National, Wiemer tied the record for most consecutive plate appearances with a base to begin a tenure with a club since 1961. He shares the mark with Jeremy Hazelbaker, who did it with the Diamondbacks in 2017, and Steve Henderson, who accomplished it with the Mariners in 1983.

After back-to-back singles by Brady House and Daylen Lile, Wiemer crushed a 2-1 splitter over the left-center field wall for a three-run first-inning lead.

Irvin (1-0) earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing three hits and two runs, and striking out seven. Washington’s bullpen gave up just one run over the final four innings. Clayton Beeter closed with a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.

Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (0-1) settled down after the early homer, working five innings while allowing four runs on six hits, striking out seven, and walking two.

Wiemer added his first career triple in the fourth inning, an opposite-field line drive that reached the wall. He was stranded at third after a strikeout and two popouts.

Chicago’s offense responded in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back home runs. Alex Bregman launched a solo shot to center field, followed by Ian Happ, who homered to left for his second consecutive game, cutting Washington’s lead to 3-2.

In the sixth inning, Lile walked to start the frame, ending Imanaga’s day. Reliever Phil Maton walked Wiemer and hit another batter to load the bases, and Washington extended the lead to 4-2 on a Ruiz sacrifice fly.

Washington added insurance in the eighth when Ruiz connected for a two-run homer off Hoby Milner, making it 6-2. Bregman’s second solo shot of the game in the eighth brought Chicago to 6-3, but the Nationals held on for the win.

—Field Level Media/Reuters