Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Blake DeWitt went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI, and Casey Coleman picked up his first major league win in Mike Quade's debut as interim manager for the Cubs, as Chicago thumped Washington, 9-1.
With Lou Piniella leaving his post as manager earlier than expected following Sunday's 16-5 loss to Atlanta, Quade stepped in and watched the Cubs record 15 hits to win for just the second time in their last eight games overall.
Coleman (1-1), in his second MLB start, gave up one run on three hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings, whileTyler Colvin and Alfonso Soriano each drove in two runs in the lopsided affair.
Livan Hernandez (8-9) lasted only 4 1/3 innings, surrendering seven runs on 10 hits and four walks to take the loss, the Nationals' fifth in seven games.
Ivan Rodriguez's run-scoring groundout in the seventh inning was the only offense mustered by the hosts, and by that time the Cubs had built a 9-0 lead.
DeWitt opened Chicago's five-run third with a homer to right, his fourth long ball of the season. Hernandez uncharacteristically lost his control later in the inning, hitting a pair of batters around a walk to load the bases for Colvin, who plated a pair with a base hit.
Soriano then blooped one down the right-field line that landed just out of Willie Harris' diving reach, scoring two more for a 5-0 edge.
The Cubs loaded the bases again in the fifth, and Coleman ended his counterpart's outing with an RBI single to left. DeWitt then added a sacrifice fly off Miguel Batista for a commanding 7-0 lead.
Once again the Cubs filled the bags in the sixth, and Doug Slaten walked Geovany Soto to force in a run. Kosuke Fukudome's run-scoring single in the seventh accounted for Chicago's final tally.
Quade is in his eighth season with the Cubs and served as both third base and outfield coach...Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd left the game early after getting hit by a pitch on his hand...Before the game, the Cubs activated Soto from the 15-day disabled list and recalled infielder Micah Hoffpauir from Triple-A Iowa...Xavier Nady had three hits for the Cubs, who stranded 12 runners.