He gave up three runs two on Ryan Braun’s homer on eight hits and struck out five over eight innings.
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Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, Matt Szczur scored on a wild pitch to cap a three-run inning as the Cubs (66-41) claimed their second walk-off win in four games and third this season.
“We haven’t really done that much this year; we did a lot last year”, said Anthony Rizzo, who was intentionally walked in the ninth to load the bases. Actually he’s been pretty good since April.
Jeff Mathis launched a two-run home run to give Miami the lead in the seventh inning.
Tom Koehler tossed six innings of one-run ball Wednesday in a no-decision versus the Cubs.
“The last couple of innings there, everybody did a good job of taking tough pitches and doing something with the good one”, Zobrist said.
The Marlins are 1-10 in their last 11 Wednesday starts from Koehler, 2-5 in their last seven Wednesday games overall and 6-0 in their last six games after dropping the first two of a series while the Cubs are 6-1 in their last seven overall, 4-1 in their last five against the NL East, and 61-27 in their last 88 home games. Dexter Fowler made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly, and all the runners advanced.
Chicago scored a run off Fernando Rodney in the eighth inning and then added another three runs in the ninth. Rizzo singled with one out, was wild-pitched to second (one of four wild pitches the Marlins threw on the day), went to third on a groundout and scored on a single by Contreras.
CHICAGO – “Moneyball” is a book about market inefficiency, not on-base percentage, but on-base percentage is certainly part of it. There’s plenty of “Moneyball” in this year’s Chicago Cubs, but behind the lofty on-base percentages are human traits: patience, discipline, consistency of approach. “We got a couple off Strop and just couldn’t get another”.
Christian Yelich went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs while Dee Gordon was 3-for-5 with a run to lead Miami.
Mathis’ drive snapped a 1-all tie in the seventh and was just the second of the season for the backup catcher.
With the Cubs surging again, Lackey was asked what fair expectations are for this season. “Fair expectations? We’re trying to win the World Series”, he said.
Yelich, who was 3 for 4, has hit safely in all 12 career games he has played at Wrigley Field. “I didn’t come here for a haircut, you know what I mean?”
Miami OF Ichiro Suzuki struck out as a pinch-hitter Tuesday and remains two hits shy of 3,000 in his major-league career.
Right-hander Justin Grimm was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to replace Hammel, who will be excused 3-7 days to mourn a death in the family.
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Marlins manager Don Mattingly said RHP David Phelps will move into the rotation and start Friday against the Rockies. Chicago has Thursday off before opening a three-game weekend series in Oakland. LHP Jon Lester (11-4, 2.95 ERA) faces LHP Dillon Overton (1-2, 9.33) in the opener.
