Bryan De La Cruz hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning as the visiting Miami Marlins rallied past the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
Luis Arraez went 3-for-5 with a double, while Jesus Sanchez and Nick Gordon added two hits apiece for Miami. Arraez singled with one out in the ninth to bring up De La Cruz, who clubbed a sinker from Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay 397 feet into the left field bleachers to put the Marlins ahead.
Alzolay (1-2) has blown half of his six save opportunities, including his last two.
Tanner Scott escaped a ninth-inning jam to earn his third save for Miami, which halted its two-game losing streak.
Mike Tauchman and Nick Madrigal each singled off Scott to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning for Chicago. Miguel Amaya’s sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third for Alexander Canario, who struck out swinging. Nico Hoerner grounded out to Arraez at first base to end the game.
Hoerner led the Cubs with two hits, while Patrick Wisdom supplied both of Chicago’s RBIs.
Calvin Faucher (1-0) racked up four strikeouts across two scoreless innings in relief of starter Jesus Luzardo, who surrendered two runs on three hits and three walks. Luzardo struck out six over a season-high six innings for the Marlins.
Wisdom collected his first hit of the season to put the Cubs ahead 2-0 in the third inning. Canario and Hoerner delivered consecutive one-out singles before Wisdom plated them with a towering fly ball that caromed off the right-center-field wall for a triple.
Miami nearly went ahead in the fifth inning after loading the bases with one out. De La Cruz narrowly missed a grand slam when he whacked a hanging breaking ball deep into the left field well that Canario caught on the warning track. Emmanuel Rivera tagged up from third base to pull the Marlins within 2-1.
Cubs starter Javier Assad’s outing ended after 4 2/3 innings, the right-hander’s shortest outing across four appearances. Assad allowed one run on three hits and balanced three walks with three strikeouts.
–Field Level Media
