Four-run eighth helps Marlins top Cubs |
MIAMI—The Chicago Cubs (65-66) just can't buy a sweep right now, and that is a tough pill to swallow when you still have a small playoff chance. It becomes especially frustrating when you go up against the worst team in the National League, the Miami Marlins (47-83), and you can't finish the job.
Already with a series win under their belt, the Cubs entered their game on Sunday with a chance to pick up the sweep at Loan Depot Park. Instead, the Marlins had other plans as they jumped on Javier Assad for three runs in the first three innings before tacking on four runs against the Cubs bullpen to avoid the sweep 7-2. This was the first time in a while that the Cubs pen struggled this badly, so hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar. Assad has had an up-and-down season despite his good overall numbers, but he was coming off one of his better starts last time out. On the positive side, Assad did give the Cubs some much-needed length as he gave Craig Counsell seven innings of work, allowing three runs in the process. He walked one and struck out three, and his command seems to be coming back. Typically, this would be one of those games where the Cubs would've found a way to win, but Adam Oller had other ideas. The 29-year-old righty hasn't pitched a ton this season, but after allowing just one run in 5 2/3 and six strikeouts, he may have earned himself some more starts down the stretch. Fast starts have been the theme for the Cubs this weekend, and after a leadoff Ian Happ double followed by the two-out Cody Bellinger walk, the Cubs had a chance to strike first only to come away empty. The same can't be said about the Marlins, as Connor Norby didn't waste any time as he jumped Assad immediately for a leadoff shot to put the Marlins in front 1-0. That was the first of two first-inning homers from the Marlins, with Jesus Sanchez adding a second solo shot two batters later to double their lead to 2-0. Playing from behind for just the second time all weekend, Dansby Swanson opened the second inning with a second consecutive leadoff double as the Cubs offense was in business. Three batters later saw Christian Bethancourt cash in with a two-out RBI single as the Cubs were on the board 2-1. Christian Bethancourt puts the @Cubs on the board! pic.twitter.com/hB9jbPG3XO It was their only run of the day against Oller, as the Cubs didn't get much of anything going against him the rest of the way. Already with two runs across against Assad, Norby was the spark plug for the offense again in the third, as his leadoff double set the Marlins' offense up again. Norby would come in to score on the Sanchez grounder to make this a 3-1 game, as those were the only runs Assad would allow. Not only that, but they were the only runs until the eighth inning as both he and Oller settled in to make this a pitcher's duel the rest of the way. With neither team able to generate much traffic in the next few innings, the Cubs finally had something going in the seventh. A pair of one-out walks put the offense in a position to tie things up. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to cash in with the big hit, as the Marlins escaped the seventh with the lead intact and maintained a 3-1 lead. It was in the bottom of the eighth when the Marlins put the game away, and it came against Julian Merryweather, who continues to struggle. After putting up the best season of his career in 2023, Merryweather dealt with a near-fourth-month injury and hasn't been the same pitcher since. After allowing four runs on five hits, his ERA has risen to 6.60, and he has shown no signs of figuring things out. Three batters into the eighth, the Marlins had the bases loaded before extending their lead to 4-1 with a sacrifice fly. That was only the beginning of what was a massive inning as a pair of RBI doubles from Otto Lopez and Kyle Stowers pushed the Marlins lead to 6-1, with a Derek Hill single closing out a four-run frame with the Marlins now leading 7-1. The Cubs did manage to push an additional run across against Kyle Faucher in the ninth, as an Ian Happ double made things 7-2 before falling by that score. The Cubs will now head to Pittsburgh for a crucial three-game set, as they need to continue winning each series the rest of the way. Happ was responsible for three of the Cubs' six hits, as he is getting on one of his hot stretches again. Patrick Wisdom was ejected following this strike 3 call. pic.twitter.com/faXRxyheYb “We had a bad day offensively … just didn’t have a good day on offense at all.”
Craig Counsell on the Cubs’ offense today. pic.twitter.com/fv8eZNMBv3
