Cubs' comeback win over Nationals takes heat off Schwarber

After it happened, in a scoreless game with two outs in the sixth inning, Ryan Zimmerman came through with an RBI double to give the Washington Nationals a 1-0 lead.

After Zimmerman's big hit, Kyle Schwarber screamed into his glove once. He screamed into his glove twice. The third time, he screamed into the air.

"I should have caught that ball and I didn't and then it led to a run," Schwarber said after the game was over.

By that time, he was relieved. The frustration was gone, or maybe just moved to the back burner of his mind.

Here's what happened in Game 4 of the National League division series Monday afternoon at Wrigley Field:

With Cubs starter Jose Quintana brilliant in his postseason debut and Nats counterpart Max Scherzer showing no signs of right hamstring discomfort while working on a no-hitter, both sides were locked in a battle for a measly run.

Daniel Murphy hit a flyball to left field with two down in the sixth, and Schwarber dropped it for an error. Making matters much worse, he kicked the ball for another error that allowed Murphy to make it all the way to third base.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon replaced Quintana with Pedro Strop, and Zimmerman launched an RBI double to right-center field that gave Washington what looked to be a commanding lead.

"I'm going to take full responsibility on that before anyone else asks me," Schwarber said of the first miscue. "It's my fault. The ball should have been caught and I didn't catch it. Then, for us to be able to come back like that, it just speaks to the volumes of this team.

"We're not going to ever give up and everyone has each other's backs. That's the most important part. They picked me up today."

Before Anthony Rizzo lifted the Cubs to a 2-1 win with a bloop RBI single to center field in the eighth inning, Albert Almora Jr. tied it with a pinch-hit single in the seventh.

Ben Zobrist broke up Scherzer's no-hit bid with a 1-out double in the seventh inning. That should have brought Schwarber to the plate with a shot at redemption, but Nationals manager Dusty Baker lifted Scherzer for left-handed reliever Sammy Solis. Maddon countered with Almora.

"I wasn't disappointed," the left-handed Schwarber said of being taken down for the right-handed hitting Almora. "I was just more (bleeped) off because I just dropped the ball. I saw Scherzer trying to stay in there. I was like, 'Stay in there. Let me get this at-bat.' I knew as soon as that lefty was coming in, Albert was going to be pinch-hitting.

"I wasn't frustrated about that at all. I was just more frustrated about what just happened. It worked out for us, that's for dang sure."

Almora was motivated to come through.

"That was in front of my head," Almora said. "I was thinking, 'I want to help (Schwarber) and Quintana.' He did an unbelievable job."