The Sports Xchange
Jun 7, 2017
CHICAGO -- JT Riddle went 2-for-4 with a go-ahead two-run single in the fourth inning as the Miami Marlins held on for a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday and salvaged the finale of a three-game series.
Right-hander Jose Urena (4-2) worked five innings for his third straight victory as the Marlins (25-33) stopped a two-game slide. Urena left after five innings, allowing three runs on three hits while walking three and striking out five.
J.T. Realmuto homered in a three-run fourth inning while Dee Gordon and Tyler Moore had two hits apiece for Miami. A.J. Ramos allowed one baserunner in the final 1 1/3 innings for his ninth save.
Cubs right-hander John Lackey (4-6) suffered his third straight loss as Chicago (30-28) saw a five-game winning streak snapped. Lackey was pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth. He gave up five runs on seven hits, struck out six and hit one hit batter.
Chicago's Kyle Schwarber greeted Marlins reliever David Phelps with a leadoff solo homer in the seventh, cutting the Miami lead to 6-4.
Schwarber completed a 3-for-4 night as he doubled home Jon Jay off Marlins reliever Nick Wittgren with two-out in the eighth to make it 6-5.
The Marlins grabbed an early lead for the second consecutive night. Gordon led off the game with a triple to left and scored on Christian Yelich's sacrifice fly.
The Cubs jumped ahead with a pair of third-inning runs. Schwarber doubled to left, Ian Happ walked and Anthony Rizzo doubled to right-center with two outs to bring them both home for a 2-1 lead.
The Marlins replied with three runs in the fourth. Realmuto forged a 2-2 tie with a one-out solo home run to left, his fifth of the season. Derek Dietrich then singled, Tyler Moore reached on a ground-rule double, and both came home when Riddle singled to center for a 4-2 lead.
In the fifth, Marcell Ozuna made it 5-2 with a two-out solo home run to left, his 15th of the season.
Happ got one run back for the Cubs, hitting a solo homer to left with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
NOTES: The Miami Herald reported Wednesday that Marlins' top-ranked prospect, LHP Braxton Garrett, has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and may require Tommy John surgery. ... The Marlins travel to Pittsburgh to open a four-game series Thursday and send Edinson Volquez (2-7, 3.79 ERA) against Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (3-5, 4.27 ERA). Volquez no-hit Arizona on Saturday. ... Pittsburgh took two of three from Miami in an April 28-30 series. ... The Marlins are 87-98 all-time against the Pirates. ... The Cubs remain home to begin a four-game set against NL West-leading Colorado on Thursday as Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (5-7, 4.60 ERA) goes against Cubs LHP Jon Lester (3-3, 3.91 ERA). ... Cubs LHP Mike Montgomery has thrown 589 pitches in relief, the most of any reliever in the majors. ... The Cubs are batting .327 with the bases loaded but .209 in other situations with runners in scoring position.