On April 21, the Cubs and Nationals were both sitting at .500. Despite their mediocre starts, and despite playing in top-heavy divisions with improved rivals, both teams had decent playoff odds: Per FanGraphs, Chicago was at 51 percent, and Washington was at 74 percent. Exactly four weeks later and after splitting two games between them with a date on Sunday Night Baseball looming, the Cubs are rolling (with their odds clocking in above 80 percent), and the Nats are reeling (at 44 percent). We asked ESPN scribes Jesse Rogers and Eddie Matz to break down the inner workings of the two clubs. They kindly obliged.

CUBS KEEP WINNING SERIES; NATS KEEP LOSING 'EM

ROGERS: The Cubs simply have built a culture in which losing is no longer an option. Now, that doesn't mean they're going to win every game -- see the end of last season -- but it does mean they're more likely than not to get back into a race. From the outside looking in, it doesn't seem that the Nats have that kind of vibe. Anthony Rizzo said it recently: a nice, winning season is good for a team such as the Padres. Not for the Cubs anymore. Where are the Nationals in terms of this raised level of play, for which the floor is a playoff appearance?

MATZ: After a disappointing 2018 season and an even more disappointing start to 2019, Washington's floor has bottomed out like that carnival ride on which you and your buddies all stick to the walls (I believe it's called "The Rotor," if memory serves). Heck, these days, the Nats are thrilled just to win a series, something they did Thursday for the first time in a month. Between besting the Giants back in mid-April and taking two of three from the Mets earlier this week, Washington lost seven straight series, including one to the Marlins (Miami's only series win this season). Through it all, manager Davey Martinez, who apprenticed under one Joseph John Maddon Jr. before taking the helm in D.C. last year, kept saying how proud he was of his players. Imagine how proud he'll be if the Nats can start winning with any kind of consistency.

ROGERS: Well, if it's winning series you're looking for, you've come to the right place. The Cubs just lost their first one in a long time. Before the Reds took two of three earlier this week, Chicago had gone 9-0-1 in its past 10 series. The key to it has been a starting rotation taking over games. That's another perplexing thing about the Nats. On paper, theirs is a great staff -- in the winter, it was probably considered better than the Cubs' -- but it hasn't translated to more wins for you guys. One other thing motivating the Cubs is the division they're in. They know how competitive it's going to be all summer and have made a point of reminding themselves of that often. It's a tough division. Sound familiar?

MATZ: First things first: I do not play for the Nationals (you guys?). But if I did, I'd certainly be second-guessing all the success my team had the past few years. Now that the division is more like the NL Beast than the NL Least, all those wins and playoff appearances seem less a product of "Natitude" and more a function of foes' flatitude. Having said all that, though Scherzer has yet to kick into vintage Mad Max mode, it's hardly his fault that his mates are giving him the deGrom treatment so far this season. I'll still take him, Strasburg and Corbin over any big three in baseball. As for the other 20 or so guys on the roster, it's a little more complicated.

LEADERSHIP, INJURIES AND LIFE AFTER BRYCE HARPER

ROGERS: That's where leadership has to play a role. If your best players are also your best leaders, manager X has it as easy as it comes. When a veteran role guy is your best leader, that can work as well. The scenario that might not work is when your best player is anything BUT a great leader. This is actually why yours truly picked the Nats -- yes, the Nats -- to go to the World Series this year. I was thinking of it this way: Addition by subtraction. I thought -- maybe -- by losing Bryce but maintaining tons of talent, Washington might gel. My thinking was the attention would be off them and Davey, even though they're playing in a tough division. I don't know much about Max Scherzer, but it's hard to lead from the mound. So this is a long way of asking you: Where is the leadership on this team post-Bryce?

MATZ: Leading from the mound is uncommon, but Scherzer's that rare breed who has the résumé, cache and work ethic to pull it off. On the position side, Howie Kendrick definitely fits the vet role player mold. But all that clubhouse stuff doesn't much matter when the on-field product has been so consistently lousy. I too thought the 2019 Nats would benefit from a plus by minus situation in which they didn't have to deal with all the drama that surrounded Harper's tenure in the District, especially in recent years. But the bullpen has been brutal. Juan Soto, whose big bat was supposed to be the insurance policy for life after Bryce, has looked more like Mario Soto at the plate. And losing Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon to injuries has been killer. That said, the Yankees lead MLB in player days lost (more than twice as many as Washington), and they're doing just fine. Know who else has lost more time to injuries than the Nats? I'll give you a hint: It rhymes with Schmicago Schmubs.

ROGERS: Injuries? That's the least of the Cubs' problems even though their closer (Brandon Morrow) and his backup (Pedro Strop) are both out. Over the past few months, the organization has had to navigate more off-the-field issues than most do in a decade. First, the owners had to distance themselves from their father after bigoted emails associated with him emerged. Then recently the Cubs brought back infielder Addison Russell after a 40-game suspension for domestic abuse associated with his ex-wife. He took the place of veteran Ben Zobrist, who left the team as he and his wife have filed for a separation/divorce in two states. All this while Joe Maddon exists as a lame duck manager. I mean, technically, Davey Martinez has more job security than Maddon.

WHAT'S NEXT?

MATZ: The Nationals already fired pitching coach Derek Lilliquist earlier this month. Injuries or no injuries, there are plenty of folks around D.C. who think the manager should be next. Since inheriting a team that averaged 96 wins per season under his predecessor (Dusty Baker), Martinez has guided Washington to a sub-.500 record. With Turner's return in Friday's opener, the Nats are as whole as they've been in a long while. If they can't get hot with him and Rendon in the lineup (and with Scherzer & Co. atop the rotation), then the winds of change might start blowing.

ROGERS: For the Cubs, the converse of firing Martinez would be to extend Maddon's contract, but that probably isn't going to happen until the end of the season. Speaking of extensions, Kris Bryant might deserve one after his performance Friday. He has returned to elite status at the plate after a shoulder injury limited him last year, but his long-term future with the team is anyone's guess. Both he and Javier Baez are going to be due generational money someday, and fans will be wondering if the Cubs can pay both.

But that's for later. For now, it's about grinding out series wins as the schedule moves to the second quarter of the season. The Cubs have positioned themselves nicely after a slow start. Pulling away might be difficult in the NL Central division, but Chicago's play since the first 10 days of the season speaks volumes. The Cubs are to be reckoned with once again this season.

African duo to the fore over 10km at the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run

There were commanding wins for athletes at very different stages of their careers as Hellen Obiri and Jacob Kiplimo both enjoyed a victorious day at the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run.

For the 29-year-old Obiri, who is planning a full-time switch to road racing after next year’s Olympics and admitted to AW that she is hoping to target a track distance double of 5000m and 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships in Doha later this year, there was a healthy winning margin of 21 seconds as she hit the line in 31:23. Behind her Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga clocked 31:44 for second while two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat was third in 32:34.

In the men’s event, Ugandan teenager Kiplimo hit the front early and never looked back as he came home in a time of 27:31 – the fourth-fastest time for 10km on the roads this year – ahead of Italian Eyob Faniel (28:24) and 2016 European 10,000m champion Antonio Abadia (28:39).

The reigning 5000m world champion Obiri has known nothing but success this year, having won the Kenyan Cross Country Championships, the world cross country title and then storming to 3000m victory at the recent Doha Diamond League.

With confidence levels clearly high, she set about pushing the pace after she and Tokyo marathon winner Aga, who had separated themselves from the chasing pack, had gone through the 5km mark in 15:56. It was a lead she would not relinquish.

“I’m a big fan of Manchester United so I really enjoyed running this race,” she said. “I knew I was in good form – winning the World Cross and a Diamond League – so I tried my best to be at the level I want to be.”

Just behind the top three came Steph Twell, another athlete who has enjoyed her own successes on and off-road this year. The Scottish cross country champion, who also won the recent Brighton 10km, just managed to hold off Ireland’s Fionnuala McCormack, clocking 32:41 to take fourth by two seconds.

Lauren Heyes was the next Briton over the line, in seventh with 33:16, Clara Evans ninth in 33:46 and Mhairi Maclennnan completing the top 10 with 33:53.

Even though he may be tender in years, world cross country silver medallist Kiplimo was an utterly dominant force and looked in complete control throughout his impressive performance. He was joined in pushing the pace in the early stages by Britain’s in-form Nick Goolab but when the African reached halfway in 13:45 he held a 25-second advantage over his competitors which only grew in the closing stages.

The 18-year-old now looks likely to set his sights on the 10,000m in Doha and it will be intriguing to see how this young talent develops over the coming months.

Goolab has been impressive in recent weeks, clocking a course record 28:22 over 10km at Brighton and an excellent 13:34 for 5km in Ipswich. Here, he was only three seconds off third place thanks to a run of 28:42 – though he admitted afterwards that he had paid dearly for his early attempts to stick with Kiplimo.

Emile Cairess was next Briton over the line in sixth thanks a personal best of 29:08, with Southampton’s Alex Teuten eighth in 29:37 and Bristol athlete Daniel Studley two seconds behind in ninth.

In the elite wheelchair races, there was an emotional win for Johnboy Smith, who dedicated his victory to former Great North Run winner Mark Telford, who passed away in the lead-up to the event.

The Commonwealth T54 marathon silver medallist won a tight battle with Simon Lawson, finishing first by only a second in 22:11, with Spaniard Rafael Botello Jimenez a distant third in 22:49.

Three-time Paralympic medallist Shelly Woods marked her return to racing with victory in the women’s race as she clocked 25:40. Liz McTiernan followed in 36:15, with Helen Gilham (41:38) third.

The first winners of the day came in the half-marathon which is also staged as part of this festival of running. Salford Harriers’ Carl Hardman, who clocked 2:19:35 two years ago at the Berlin Marathon, was a convincing winner as he clocked 69:18 for victory ahead of Boalloy’s Carl Moulton (71:53) and last year’s winner Craig Pilsbury (72:22).

The women’s race was won by Belgrave Harrier Georgie Fenn in 81:16 from Germany’s Meike Freudenreich (82:02) and Emily Jeanes of Trent Park(85:06).

Great Britain celebrated gold at the World Team Cup in Israel with a 2-0 victory against France.

Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett avenged defeat by Nicolas Peifer and Stephane Houdet in the Rio Paralympics doubles.

Reid won the first set 6-1 against Peifer adding a second set tie-break 7-3, while Hewett saw off Houdet 6-0 7-5.

It equals GB's best performance at the tournament, replicating the feat of 2012, after the junior team won silver and the women's team took bronze.

The men's team last won the World Team Cup title in 2015.

"The last couple of years have been tough for us," said US Open champion Hewett.

"We have a great team and we have the potential to win it every single time, but we haven't pulled through those finals in the last two years.

"We didn't lose a singles match the whole week and that just shows how high our level has been. That first set for me today was probably the best set of tennis I've ever played.

"But it's not just one performance that wins the title and it was a top performance from Gordon today and Dermot [Bailey]'s played some really good matches too."

It could have been four medals but for a 2-1 defeat for the quad team of Andy Lapthorne, Antony Cotterill and James Shaw against South Africa on Friday.

The World Team Cup is the wheelchair tennis equivalent of the Fed Cup and Davis Cup competitions, with teams from 23 nations taking part in the finals in Ramat Hasharon, Israel.

Ospreys coach Allen Clarke says he has overcome sleepless nights after guiding his region to the Heineken European Champions Cup next season.

His side beat Scarlets 21-10 in Saturday's play-off match to claim the final Pro14 place in the elite European competition next season.

Clarke's side overcame merger talks to finish as Wales' leading region.

"You could see a freshness once you realised we were going to exist as Ospreys," said Clarke.

Talks were held over an Ospreys merger with Cardiff Blues and Scarlets before the region said they would stand alone and the side have been galvanised by the off-field controversy.

Ospreys celebrated four victories at the end of the regular season to set up the Pro14 play-off match for the Champions Cup.

"I have respect for every player in our group and they have been incredibly resilient throughout the season," said Clarke.

"It has been draining and probably what you see on the exterior you don't understand what is underneath. There have been a lot of sleepless nights for a lot of people involved.

"Our players had the appetite and were desperate to play in the Champions Cup and you could see that."

Clarke admits competing among Europe's elite will be a tough proposition next season.

"We talk about this being a start, not an end," said Clarke.

"We know it's going to be tough and test our squad depth but if we can get the right players on the field we feel as if we can challenge at that level.

"That's 14 games we have picked our full-strength side in the Pro14 and we have won 12 of them. That's the measure of where we are when we can get access to our best players."

Captain Justin Tipuric says the victory caps a difficult season.

"After everything that has gone on this season it's a nice way to finish off," said Tipuric.

"It just shows how tight everyone is in our squad and how everybody came together towards the end of the season after all the rumours.

"After we came back from the Six Nations we could easily have folded and lost every game, but instead we finished off winning every match.

"I never felt the group would fold. The character of the players in the squad meant that was never an option.

"This is not a time to celebrate though because we need to push on the Champions Cup to compete and not just be happy to be involved in it."

England captain Dylan Hartley could feature in Northampton's Premiership semi-final at Exeter next Saturday.

The 33-year-old hooker has not played since 21 December after injuring his knee, and missed the Six Nations.

Hartley has returned to training with Northampton, but is unlikely to start at Sandy Park, having missed Saints' 40-21 loss at Exeter on the final day.

"It'll be a really big ask for him to come into that level of things straight away," said Saints boss Chris Boyd.

"To do that generally you need to be physically tough and mentally tough and very resilient and I think he's all of those things, so time will tell."

England head coach Eddie Jones will announce a preliminary World Cup squad next month before naming his final party to go to Japan in July.

Jones could be without first-choice loose-head prop Maku Vunipola, who tore his hamstring in Saracens' European Champions Cup final win over Leinster earlier this month, so Hartley's experience would be even more vital in England's front row.

Saints lost hooker Reece Marshall through injury after just five minutes of their loss at Exeter, with James Fish brought on to play the majority of the game as they finished the regular season in fourth place.

"He trained fully with us on Monday and Tuesday and trained really well," Boyd added about Hartley.

"We had Wednesday off and when he came back in on Thursday he was feeling the effects of that training.

"He probably could have played, but at the end of the day if he had been here and Reece Marshall had been out five minutes into the game, if Dylan had been on the bench I doubt he would have got through 75 minutes at the physical level that that game was.

"When you have lower-limb injuries it's not just the rehab on the injury, but you've got to try to get some match fitness as well and clearly he hasn't had a lot of that lately."

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — After a torrid battle with Jake Swanson and Brody Roa, Stevie Sussex became the sixth different winner in as many races with the Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series.

Driving Robbie and Gaye Allen’s No. 12 ABC Body Shop / PPG Automotive Finishes Maxim, Sussex reclaimed the lead for good on lap 29 to score his third Hank Arnold Memorial win at Casa Grande’s Central Arizona Speedway.

Fast-qualifier Roa, Charles Davis Jr., Matt Rossi and R.J. Johnson rounded out the top five.

Roa claimed his first career Beaver Stripes Fast Time Award by posting a new 410 track record of 15.133 over the 14-car roster.

The finish:

Feature (30 laps, with starting positions): 1. Stevie Sussex (1), 2. Brody Roa (6), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (7), 4. Matt Rossi (4), 5. R.J. Johnson (5), 6. Jake Swanson (2), 7. Mike Martin (3), 8. Chris Bonneau (8), 9. Michael Curtis (9), 10. Daylin Perriera (14), 11. Tyler Most (12), 12. Andy Reinbold (11), 13. Matt Lundy (10), 14. Jonas Reynolds (13). NT

WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The wait was well worth it for Woody Pitkat.

The Stafford, Conn., native outlasted all other competitors in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour return to Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday and took the checkered flag in the first event at the third-mile in 12 years.

It was the fourth career Whelen Modified Tour win for Pitkat, and his first in four years. It was also his first win driving for Danny Watts Racing in his 21st start with the team. Pitkat took over the ride after the passing of Ted Christopher in 2017.

“The biggest thing I told the guys today was that I wasn’t going to be over-aggressive,” Pitkat said. “I figured we wouldn’t qualify that great, but I knew I just needed to be there at the end. I was just trying to ride as much as I could. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to work out.”

The race didn’t look like it was going to fall into Pitkat’s lap until the final stages. Doug Coby took control of the race on lap 66 after starting sixth and led a race-high 72 laps. He was in control of the field on a restart on lap 138, and after contact with home town favorite Andrew Krause entering turn three, both of their chances ended. Krause, who was fastest in practice and 35 laps himself, was done for the night.

That handed the lead to former series champion Ron Silk, who looked as though he would score his second win of the young season driving for Kevin Stuart. But, a restart with just five laps remaining ended Silk’s chances as contact sent him spinning, in a wreck that collected many of the cars left on the track.

From there, the battle for Pitkat wasunderway. On a green-white-checkered restart in NASCAR overtime, Pitkat lined up to the outside of Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Timmy Catalano on the front row. At the green, he powered by to the lead and never looked back, as the No. 82 Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet started smoking while the nerf-bar starting rubbing on the right-rear tire.

In the end, he made it around to the checkered flag at the top of the field.

In the late dash, rising star Blake Barney powered his way to a second-place finish, his career best effort in Whelen Modified Tour competition. Veteran Rob Summers was third, followed by Catalano and Dave Sapienza.

Eric Goodale was sixth, followed by Ken Heagy, Ron Silk, Tommy Catalano and Doug Coby.

LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — A dominant run for Sam Hafertepe Jr. to close the two-day appearance in Michigan, the three-time and defending champion of the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network was untouchable at I-96 Speedway.

Hafertepe won Saturday’s 30-lap feature by 6.105 seconds.

“The car was great. I’m very fortunate to have car owners like Miles and Pam and to have the crew we have, they make it where I can just focus on driving the car,” said Hafertepe. “Last night, I wasn’t taking any prisoners but tonight I calmed down and just focused on the racing. Both nights, this crew gave us a great track to race on. They did a hell of a job.”

Trailing the A-Rock Materials No. 95 of Matt Covington into the first two turns, that would be the only time Hafertepe rolled second as the run into turns three and four netted the race lead. Caution on lap two for a three-car incident that involved Bogucki, Price, and Scheid in the second turn, the green lights blinked on for two more laps before Alex Hill and Ryan Coniam came together off the fourth turn.

Moving past Matt Covington on the opening lap restart, Phil Gressman was on Hafertepe as the field went back to green but would not be able to keep pace as Hafertepe started to pull away. Leaving Gressman to himself, the pair were chased by Ryan Ruhl.

Coming under fire on lap 14, the No. 16 was not able to keep Blake Hahn at bay as the Sage Fruit, Co. No. 52 shot to the show position on lap 15. Chasing down Phil Gressman as the pair picked through traffic, Hahn pulled to the back bumper of the No. 7c, but would not get the chance to pass as the caution flew on lap 24.

Erasing a 5.869-second lead, Hafertepe amassed several lapped cars between himself and Gressman. Lapping up to ninth place before the caution, the restart was a walk in the park.

Holding off Hahn in the closing laps, Gressman grabbed second with Hahn holding onto third. Ruhl ended up fourth with Covington slipping to fifth.

The finish:

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr., [2]; 2. 7C-Phil Gressman, [4]; 3. 52-Blake Hahn, [7]; 4. 16-Ryan Ruhl, [3]; 5. 95-Matt Covington, [1]; 6. 17W-Harli White, [5]; 7. 5J-Jamie Ball, [10]; 8. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [8]; 9. 85-Dustin Daggett, [6]; 10. 11-Roger Crockett, [9]; 11. 14-Jordon Mallett, [12]; 12. 28-Scott Bogucki, [16]; 13. 49T-Gregg Dalman, [21]; 14. 27-Brad Lamberson, [14]; 15. 77-Andrew Scheid, [20]; 16. 16W-Garrett Saunders, [22]; 17. (DNF) 10S-Jay Steinbach, [13]; 18. (DNF) 16C-Zane Devault, [11]; 19. (DNF) 24D-Danny Sams III, [19]; 20. (DNF) 46-Ryan Coniam, [18]; 21. (DNF) 77X-Alex Hill, [17]; 22. (DNF) 21P-Robbie Price, [15]; 23. (DNF) J2-John Carney II, [23]