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 But the biggest strike of the night was delivered by his center
fielder, Marcell Ozuna.
Chen got the win, and Justin Bour slugged a two-run homer to lead
Miami to a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night
at Marlins Park.
The Marlins led 3-0 in the seventh inning when Milwaukee scored
twice. But the inning ended when Jonathan Villar was thrown out by
Ozuna after trying to go from first to third with two outs.
"I was ready for anything because we had two outs," said Villar, who
helped Milwaukee win Tuesday's game by stealing two bases. "If Ozuna
throws a little to the side, I'm safe. He made a perfect throw.
"That's my game -- I do anything for my team."
Ozuna said he just threw the ball as hard as he could.
 "(Villar) was going slow," Ozuna said, "and then he attacked."
Offensively for the Marlins, the big blow was delivered by Bour, who
hit his fifth homer of the season, helping the Marlins (18-15) take
two out of three games in their series against the Brewers (14-20).
Miami has won 13 of its past 17 games.
Bour, who hit a 1-2 pitch, said it was motivating to him when
cleanup hitter Giancarlo Stanton was walked ahead of him.
"I want to make sure I'm doing my job behind him, driving the ball
so people don't think they can just put him on," Bour said. "I got
down two strikes, hit a changeup, and it went out."
Milwaukee has yet to win a road series this season (0-4-2).
Two players extended their hitting streaks to 11 games -- Miami's
Ozuna (1-for-3) and Milwaukee's Ryan Braun (3-for-4). They are tied
for the longest active hit streaks in the majors.
However, Milwaukee's Aaron Hill, who went 0-for-4, had his 10-game
hit streak halted.
Chen (3-1), who previously struck out 12 batters in 2012 against the
Oakland A's, went 6 1/3 innings, allowing six hits, two walks and
two runs.
He received relief help from A.J. Ramos, who pitched a scoreless
ninth and earned his 10th save of the season. Ramos has converted 19
straight save chances dating to last season.
Milwaukee starter Chase Anderson (1-5) took the loss, allowing three
hits, one walk and three runs in six innings.
Anderson retired the first 10 Marlins before Martin Prado singled
with one out in the fourth. Miami then broke through in the fifth on
the two-run homer by Bour, who pulled that 80-mph changeup to right.
"I got (Christian) Yelich out on that pitch in the first inning,"
Anderson said. "I tried to do the same thing with Bour, but I left
it up. Game of inches, right?"
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Miami made it 3-0 later in the fifth inning. Ozuna hit a ground-rule
double on a ball that got stuck underneath the fence in the
right-field corner. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored
on Adeiny Hechavarria's sacrifice fly.
Milwaukee scored twice in the seventh and just missed out on an even
bigger inning. Alex Presley hit a single, and pinch-hitter Colin
Walsh walked, knocking Chen out of the game.
After reliever Bryan Morris walked Domingo Santana to load the
bases, Jonathan Villar got an RBI groundout. Second baseman Derek
Dietrich prevented more damage by making a slick backhanded grab and
flip.
Braun made the score 3-2 with an RBI single to center, but that's
when Villar was thrown out by Ozuna.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell wasn't too bothered by Villar's
decision to run in that situation.
"It was an aggressive play," Counsell said. "Jon's going to force
the action. (Tuesday night) it paid off."
Not this time, though.
NOTES: Miami designated LHP Craig Breslow for assignment and
selected the contract of RHP Dustin McGowan from Triple-A New
Orleans. Breslow's departure leaves Miami without a lefty in its
bullpen. McGowan was 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six appearances for the
Marlins earlier this season. In 7 1/3 scoreless innings at New
Orleans, he was 2-for-2 in save chances, striking out seven and
allowing six walks and just one hit. ... OF Austin Dean, one of
Miami's top prospects, had two homers and five RBIs on Tuesday for
Double-A Jacksonville. ... Brewers RF Domingo Santana (shoulder
soreness) made his first start since May 3 and went 1-for-3 with a
walk. ... Brewers 2B Scooter Gennett (oblique tightness), who has
been on the disabled list since April 28, began a rehab assignment
at Class A Brevard County on Tuesday. He is expected to join the
Brewers on Thursday when they open a seven-game homestand with a
series against the San Diego Padres.
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