WASHINGTON -- Alex Call swung at the first pitch he saw from reliever Brad Boxberger on Thursday afternoon at Nationals Park, depositing the ball over the left-field wall just inside the foul pole for a dramatic walk-off homer as the Nats won the finale of a four-game series against the Cubs, 4-3.

Call’s first walk-off at any level lifted the Nats to their fourth win in their last five games and first series win at home. They have won three of their last four series.

"It's probably the best feeling on a field that I've ever had,” Call said. “I've dreamed about that so many times. It’s something that you dream about. You see all the celebrations with the teammates.

“Just so many happy emotions running through your head knowing all the work that goes into it, too. To be in that situation and actually be able to do it. I've thought about it a lot, too. Finally [I was] able to get it done. It's amazing."

Call made a diving catch on a Dansby Swanson hot shot to center field in the seventh and had two other line-drive outs. His homer curled around the left-field foul pole, sending the 18,577 at Nationals Park into a frenzy and his teammates racing out of the dugout to greet him.

"He hit the ball good all day today,” manager Dave Martinez said. “He got robbed twice by the third baseman. This time he got the ball up in the air and he crushed it. I was just hoping it would stay fair. What an awesome way to win a game.”

Patrick Corbin delivered his best start of the year, firing a season-high seven innings, at one point retiring 17 in a row. 

Corbin’s eighth inning started with back-to-back singles by Cody Bellinger and Patrick Wisdom. That opened the door for the Cubs, as they came back to tie the score at 3-3.

Nats reliever Kyle Finnegan was able to wiggle out of a two-on, no-out situation in the top of the ninth to open the door for Call. The closer struck out Bellinger and Wisdom, and induced a Trey Mancini flyout to end the threat.

"I got to strike somebody out,” Finnegan said of the ninth-inning jam. “That was the plan: go hard up with my fastball, try and get some swing-and-misses and just give us a chance and see what happens."

A signature matchup demonstrated Corbin’s confidence in the fourth with two outs versus Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki. Corbin tossed three changeups, a sinker and his patented slider. Suzuki was way out in front on the final changeup for a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

"I thought everything was good [today],” Corbin said. “Fastball command was good. Used the changeup quite a bit today. Good sliders, kept them off balance, got some quick outs. Just was in rhythm kind of all day with [catcher Riley] Adams. Defense made plays behind me.”

Corbin allowed only one hit through the first seven frames, striking out six and walking none. The southpaw has completed at least six innings in four of his seven starts. He fired only 80 pitches on Thursday, 57 for strikes.

Lane Thomas crushed a three-run shot over the left-center-field wall in the second inning against Cubs starter Jameson Taillon to give the Nats the early lead.

After starting the season 5-13, the Nats have won eight of their last 13 games. For a team which entered the season with tempered expectations, Washington currently boasts a better record than five clubs, including the Cardinals and White Sox.

“We beat a pretty good team with a pretty good lineup,” Martinez said. “It feels good. It's awesome for these guys to have that feeling because we are so young. It's great to see those guys smile and having fun."