WASHINGTON -- Chicago Cubs reliever Pedro Strop got the ball after the last out and shook hands with Miguel Montero, his catcher.

Strop got the three outs and recorded just his second save of the year and eighth of his major league career in 275 appearances after closer Hector Rondon faced just one batter in the ninth.

But the day belonged to the Cubs pitcher who began the game -- right-hander starter Jason Hammel -- as Chicago beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Saturday.

Hammel allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings and center fielder Dexter Fowler had two hits and scored twice with an RBI.

Hammel (5-2) is now 9-0 in his career in 11 starts against the Nationals, with two of those wins coming with the Cubs.

"I have no idea," Hammel said when asked about his success against Washington. "Some places you do better than others. I love to pitch in this stadium. It is a great atmosphere."

The only other active pitcher with such success against one team is Philadelphia lefty Cole Hamels, who is 9-0 against the Cincinnati Reds.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon was so impressed that he mentioned Hammel, with an ERA of 2.76, as a possible All-Star. "I think he has to be considered. He's just pitching at another level. The biggest difference is his ability to throw a strike with his fastball," Maddon said.

Hammel, who relied on a two-seam fastball and threw exactly 100 pitches, was honored with the All-Star pitch by his manager.

"Obviously it would be an honor. It is early. We still have a ways to go," said Hammel, who signed a two-year contract with the Cubs in December.

Hammel allowed a leadoff homer to right fielder Bryce Harper, who had two hits, in the ninth to make it 4-2. Rondon came in and walked third baseman Anthony Rendon, but Strop got the last three outs and fanned shortstop Ian Desmond for the final one with a runner on second.

"I was a little surprised," Rondon said of being taken out so soon.

Maddon said he was not looking to remove Rondon as his closer.

"It was about winning the game today," Maddon said of bringing in Strop. "I thought it was the right thing to do."

The game was a contrast in starting pitchers as right-hander Joe Ross (0-1) made his major league debut for Washington while Hammel made the 198th start of a career that began in 2006 with Tampa Bay.

Ross allowed three runs and six hits in five innings before Felipe Rivero took over in the sixth and pitched three scoreless innings.

Fowler and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (two hits) had back-to-back RBI singles with two outs in the fifth off Ross to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead.

"They got to him in the fifth," Washington manager Matt Williams said of Ross.

Chicago made it 4-1 in the ninth on a bloop RBI single to center by second baseman Jonathan Herrera, who also had two hits.

Kris Bryant, the Cubs third baseman, had an RBI single in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1.

The Nationals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo homer by Wilson Ramos, the Washington catcher.

Ross had retired the first nine hitters before Fowler lined a clean single to right to start the fourth.

"All in all he threw the ball well," Williams said of Ross.

Ross was acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres in December. He is the second rookie to make his big-league debut as a starter this year for the Nationals, who currently have veteran starters Doug Fister and Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list.

A.J. Cole started for the Nationals on April 28 against the Braves in Atlanta. Ross was taking the turn of Strasburg, who went on the disabled list May 30 with neck tightness.

Rizzo had a single in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, a career high. The Cubs (29-25) have won two of the first three games in the serie