After four games of the National League Division Series between the Cubs and Nationals, we hold these three truths to be self-evident:

The Nationals are not going to "crumble," as Cubs board member Todd Ricketts boldly predicted last summer in a conversation with President Donald Trump.

Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg is not "as bad as it gets … as a teammate," as former Cub David Ross, a special assistant to President Theo Epstein, suggested on ESPN when it looked like Strasburg opted out of Game 4 with an illness.

And it's time for non-essential Cubs employees to stop trash-talking the Nationals and give them the respect they deserve.

The Nationals forced a Game 5 on Thursday in Washington with a 5-0 triumph over the Cubs on a cold, drizzly Wednesday at Wrigley Field, riding the back of a pitcher who was criticized widely Tuesday for not wanting the ball in an elimination game.

Strasburg dominated for seven innings, and Michael Taylor sealed the deal with an eighth-inning grand slam off Wade Davis into the right-field basket.

Photos from Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Cubs and Nationals at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, played one day after rain postponed the game Tuesday.

"I'm glad for whoever invented the basket," Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper said.

But the real story of Game 4 was Strasburg's recovery from an illness that led to an all-out assault on his character. After taking a higher dose of antibiotics Tuesday, Strasburg woke up Wednesday feeling better and told pitching coach Mike Maddux he was good to go.

After replacing Tanner Roark in the morning, Strasburg struck out 12 and threw seven shutout innings while allowing only three hits in the afternoon. With 22 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in his two NLDS starts, it's hard to question Strasburg's guts now.

"Games like this, you have to give it everything you have, whatever it is," Strasburg said. "I called 'Mad Dog' in the morning and just said 'Give me the ball.' And that's what he did."

The Strasburg controversy was the talk of the sports world for 24 hours. He was mocked in the media, including by "Grandpa" Ross himself. Ross suggested Strasburg was a bad teammate for letting "sniffles" prevent him from starting.

And when Nationals manager Dusty Baker brought up the Chicago mold as a factor in his illness, Baker also was ridiculed.

"Maybe the rain helped him (recover) and helped us," Baker said. "I said my prayers, and I said 'Hey man, just let the rain try to help us.' I know I talked to some Hawaiian buddies of mine. They were saying, 'Hey, sometimes it's a blessing from the sky.' They call it mana. I believe in that."

No one in baseball is a bigger believer in metaphysical momentum, and now it's time to find out if Baker and the Nationals finally can win the big one against a Cubs team that has thrived on overcoming adversity.

The Cubs are hitting only .159 and have scored only eight runs in the series, but they send Kyle Hendricks to the mound in Game 5. They never did anything easy in last year's postseason, so why start now?

Strasburg called his illness a "blessing in disguise," saying his energy wasn't "through the roof," making it easier to manage. When he struck out the side in the seventh with a 1-0 lead, it looked like he could go on forever.

"I was surprised I was able to hang in there," he said.

Strasburg sidestepped a question asking if his teammates texted him to make the start, saying he went to sleep early and didn't feel he had anything to prove.

"Not to you guys," he said of the media. "You guys create the drama. But I have faith in every guy in this clubhouse, and I know the coaching staff feels the same.

"So, we're in it together, and when one guy goes down you have to trust the other guy is going to pick up the slack."

Maddux called the criticism of Strasburg "unfair," adding he didn't think Tuesday night Strasburg would be ready.

"No, but that was last night," Maddux said. "He posted up today and gave us a great ballgame. That was fun to watch. His 'velo' was a tick down, but he spotted it up well, had finish on the fastball, down low and up top. The curveball and changeup were just vintage. That's what he does."

Harper said Strasburg's face on Tuesday was the color of the artificial surface in the visitors batting cage.

"For him to be able to cowboy up and do his job shows how much of a great teammate he is," Harper said. "He's just a warrior, to throw that gem."

Closer Sean Doolittle said Strasburg "has the respect of everybody in the clubhouse" adding "something was lost in the communication" of the pitching plans.

"He answered a lot of questions and he quieted all those whispers and rumors," he said. "There was enough pressure on him as it was. Even if he was aware of that stuff (in the media),

"I've never seen him fazed one way or another about what was said about him. He stepped up in a big way. Awesome."

It has been an awesome series, and now it's on to Game 5, where the Cubs will try to add another chapter to the Nationals' sad postseason history and prove again they're at their best with their backs to the wall.

psullivan@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @PWSullivan