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WASHINGTON -- While the Washington Nationals hardly noticed their first winning season in franchise history, the Chicago Cubs are in the midst of a third straight losing year. Andrew Luck Womens Jersey . On Monday, the Cubs lost their 83rd game of the season, one day after guaranteeing their first losing three-peat since 1990-92. The Nationals hung on for a 2-1 victory. In many ways, it was a typical Cubs loss. Their one-run defeat gives them a 12-23 record in one-run games. "Its amazing how you can be in so many games and never win them," manager Dale Sveum said. "Thats a sign of a team that needs to get a long way before you start winning those games." Ross Detwiler allowed four hits in seven shutout innings and Adam LaRoche homered for Washington. The NL East-leading Nationals improved to 82-52. The club moved from Montreal to Washington for the 2005 season and went 81-81 that year. In 2008 and 2009, the team lost a combined 205 games, then finished 80-81 in 2011. The Nationals win allowed them to hold their 6 1/2-game division lead over Atlanta. Detwiler (9-6) struck out three and walked three, and allowed a runner to third only once. Jeff Samardzija (8-13) gave up a long home run to LaRoche to lead off the second. LaRoches 25th home run landed in the front row of the second deck. Its the fourth time in his career LaRoche has hit 25 or more home runs. Samardzija gave up seven hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out eight. With Julys trade of Paul Maholm to Atlanta, the Cubs have an inexperienced rotation. Hes the only starter with more than four wins. He was envious of the Nationals playing in big games. "Thats your ultimate goal, you know, is to be pitching in those situations, to be pitching for October," Samardzija said. "We can approach these situations where were playing these first-place teams where we can look at it and say, hey, were right there in it and these are big games, and it is going to show a lot with our team. Because were playing good teams and were going to be facing their good pitchers and were going to see the best." The Cubs have dropped three straight. "You love playing against these kind of teams. When youre a team in our situation, anytime you can play these first- or second-place teams where theyre still playing for something, it means a lot, and theyre fun games," Samardzija said. Sveum was pleased with Samardzijas performance. The former Notre Dame receiver has shown a lot to the first-year manager. "I think thats what we expect of him as far as big games, big competition. Hes a horse, and like I said, the football mentality, when youre playing in front of 100,000 people on national TV, youve got it in you to be that kind of big-game pitcher and competitor against the best of baseball." Ryan Zimmermans RBI double scored Bryce Harper in the eighth for the second run. Drew Storen pitched a perfect eighth. Tyler Clippard allowed two hits and a two-out RBI single to Welington Castillo in the ninth. Clippard threw the ball away for an error and allowed pinch-runner Tony Campana advance to second before striking out Josh Vitters for his 30th save in 33 opportunities. NOTES: Nationals manager Davey Johnson, general manager Mike Rizzo and pitching coach Steve McCatty met with RHP Stephen Strasburg to explain the reasons the team is ending his season after two more starts. "Im not sure any of us understand, but its the right thing to do," Johnson said. ... Washington OF Michael Morse left the game in the fourth inning with a sore right thumb. ... U.S. Olympic swimming gold medallist Katie Ledecky threw out the first pitch. ... Nationals RHP Edwin Jackson (8-9, 3.53 ERA) and LHP Chris Rusin (0-1, 1.80) are Tuesday nights pitchers. Rusin and three others, RHPs Jaye Chapman and Rafael Dolis and C Anthony Recker, will be added to Chicagos roster on Tuesday. Adam Vinatieri Jersey . Turns out, the third basemans feet -- not to mention his glove -- work too. Alvarez scored on an unconventional slide in the second inning for the games only run and turned in a couple of defensive gems to help the Pirates to a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night. Robert Mathis Womens Jersey . The slugger was out of the Texas Rangers lineup Monday night against Seattle because of what the team called an upper respiratory problem. Hamilton said he hasnt felt right for more than a week and called manager Ron Washington when he finally got up earlier in the afternoon before coming to the ballpark. http://www.coltsfanstore.com/dwight-freeney-jersey . After failing in his first attempt at win No. 20, Gonzalez became the first pitcher in baseball to reach the milestone this season with a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The left-hander logged seven innings and was touched for just a pair of unearned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out five. Andrew Luck Youth Jersey . -- Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings has had surgery to repair the torn abdominal muscle that has sidelined him for much of the season. Dwight Freeney Womens Jersey . LOUIS -- Nothing was working for Jake Westbrook, a groundball pitcher who gave up three sacrifice flies.BALI, Indonesia -- Top-seeded Marion Bartoli squandered two match points then retired with an ankle injury during her Tournament of Champions quarter-final with Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain on Friday. Sabine Lisicki of Germany was the only seed of Garrigues for the first time on Saturday, and defending champion Ana Ivanovic will face Nadia Petrova of Russia. Bartoli limped off the court in tears after retiring while Medina Garrigues led 4-6, 7-6 (7), 1-0. Robert Mathis Jersey. Bartoli had to rally from 5-2 down in the second set to force a tiebreaker. She had match points at 6-5 and 7-6, between which she rolled her right ankle. She double-faulted away the second match point and lost the tiebreaker 9-7. She got the ankle wrapped at the start of the third but lasted only one more game. "Even if I won match point I dont think I would have been able to play tomorrow," said Bartoli, who also retired in the 2009 final. The win for Medina Garrigues ended her 18-match losing streak against top-10 players since 2008. ' ' '