Anthony Rizzo's 8th-Inning RBI Gives Cubs Win vs Max Scherzer, Nationals in NLDS

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo looped a game-winning single in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals on Monday night to give the Cubs a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of a National League Division Series.

After Leonys Martin scored, Rizzo was caught between first and second to end the inning. As the Wrigley Field crowd roared, the cameras zoomed in on his face.

"Respect me!" he yelled as he walked toward the dugout. "Respect me!"

That appeared to be in response to the Nationals' pitching to him with first base open and Martin on second. It was a decision Washington may lament. Monday's result gave Chicago a 2-1 advantage in the series and the opportunity to close things out Tuesday night at Wrigley.

Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan was befuddled by the sequence:

It wasn't the only decision that will be scrutinized.

With the Nationals leading 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Max Scherzer—who had been brilliant and had yet to allow a hit—gave up a one-out double to Ben Zobrist. With Scherzer sitting on 98 pitches and Kyle Schwarber on deck, manager Dusty Baker took Scherzer out of the game and went with left-handed reliever Sammy Solis.

Joe Maddon and the Cubs countered by bringing in Albert Almora Jr. to pinch hit, and he singled to left field to tie the game.

Those pivotal moments elicited a variety of responses after the game:

Baker stood by his decision to pull Scherzer, however.

"I couldn't live with myself if Schwarber had hit one out of the park," he said after the game, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

Schwarber played a major role in another key moment, albeit one that benefitted the Nationals. His two errors on a fly ball to left field with two outs in the top of the sixth inning allowed Daniel Murphy to reach third base. Maddon promptly pulled starter Jose Quintana (5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB) in favor of Pedro Strop, but Ryan Zimmerman plated Murphy with a double to right that gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead.

That was the only run Washington mustered, however, a fact B/R's Zachary D. Rymer suggested was the biggest worry for the team heading into Game 4:

For Chicago, overcoming excellent pitching has become a theme in this series, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Tuesday night could feature another pitching duel, with Tanner Roark taking the mound for the Nationals and Jake Arrieta earning the nod for the Cubs.