Before the game started, the national anthem was performed by the US Army Chorus Quartet.
DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser opened the game by yelling 'Play Ball'.
The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by House Majority Whip Stephen Scalise (R-Louisiana), who in June got injured in a shooting during a practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Washington.
The game was a pitching duel between Stephen Strasburg and Kyle Hendricks.
Strasburg, who participated in the Haarlem Baseball Week international tournament in Haarlem (Netherlands) some years ago, struckout ten hitters and gave up only three hits in the seven innings he threw.
Hendricks struckout six and gave up only two hits and also threw seven innings.
The difference was that Strasburg gave up two unearned runs.
Chicago broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning, scoring the two unearned runs off of Strasburg.
Lead-off hitter Javier Báez reached on a fielding error, then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Hendricks.
After Ben Zobrist had flied out, Strasberg faced another former participant of the Haarlem Baseball Week, which was Kris Bryant.
He hit a line drive into rightfield for a single that scored Báez.
Bryant advanced to second base on the throw back to the infield, which was followed by a close play at second base.
Washington asked for a challenge, stating that Bryant was tagged out, but the call was upheld.
Moments later, Bryant scored the second run on a single by Anthony Rizzo.
Chicago added an insurance run in the eighth off of reliever Ryan Madson.
He gave up a lead-off double to Jon Jay, who then scored on a 2-out double by Anthony Rizzo.
Washington recorded its basehits in the first and second inning.
In the first, Bryce Harper singled with one out and stranded on second base.
Michael A. Taylor singled with two outs in the second inning, which moved Matt Wieters (hit by pitch) to second base, but they were then left behind.
In the remainder of the game, the Nationals were held scoreless.
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Cubs shutout Nationals in opener National League Division Series
WASHINGTON, DC (USA) -
Reigning World Series-champion Chicago Cubs shutout Washington Nationals 3-0 in the opener of the best-of-five National League Division Series on Friday-evening (October 6).
The Series continues on Saturday.
This game started two hours and 24 minutes later than the match-up between the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees, but was almost completed before that game ended!
The Nationals and Cubs began the ninth inning when the Indians walked off with the win after a 5-hour marathon!