|
 Alvarez hit his first career home run, pitched six innings and hurt his right hamstring while running the bases in the Miami Marlins' 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.
Alvarez smacked a three-run shot off Travis Wood in the second inning and also had a single and a sacrifice bunt. Alvarez (3-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings before he left with a tight right hamstring in his first career appearance against the Cubs.
"He swings the bat well," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "I don't know that you could ever predict that with a pitcher, but he goes up there and he's very athletic. He gives us a good at-bat."
Steve Cishek earned his 29th save in 31 chances for the Marlins, who have won two straight after losing six in a row.
Alvarez also homered during a rehab assignment with Double-A Jacksonville earlier this season.
"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone," he said through an interpreter. "I was up there looking for a good pitch to hit and got it and put it in play."
Alvarez bounced back after allowing three runs after four consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly in the first inning.
"I started the first inning leaving pitches up a little bit, but then I made an adjustment in the second inning," Alvarez said.
Alvarez said his hamstring tightened up after he hit a single in the seventh inning, but he said he should be ready for his next start.
"It's probably bad managing having him lay down a bunt. I should have let him swing," Redmond joked about Alvarez's bunt in the fourth inning. "I just wanted to get that guy to second. Maybe I should have let him swing. He might have hit a two-run homer."
Wood (8-11) allowed four runs and nine hits in seven innings. The All-Star fell to 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in four career starts against the Marlins.
"It was kind of a funny outing," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "He couldn't get the left-handed hitter in their lineup out and couldn't get the pitcher out. Other than that, he dominated the rest of the lineup."
[to top of second column] |
The Cubs were trying to win three straight at Wrigley Field for the first time since July 6-9. They fell to 27-43 at home.
The teams scored all their runs in the first two innings.
Alvarez homered to put the Marlins ahead 4-3 in the second after Ed Lucas doubled and Jeff Mathis singled. The three-run homer gave Alvarez six career RBIs and was the first homer by a Marlins pitcher this season.
Christian Yelich hit his third home run for a 1-0 Marlins lead in the first inning.
The Cubs went ahead 2-1 in the bottom half. Anthony Rizzo and Dioner Navarro had RBI singles, and the Cubs stretched the lead to 3-1 on a Nate Schierholtz sacrifice fly.
The Marlins are 2-5 on their current road trip.
NOTES: Manager Dale Sveum said the Cubs will likely call up four or five players -- a catcher and pitchers -- in the coming days with the expanded roster. ... The Marlins will add four players to their roster after the minor league season ends today, manager Mike Redmond said. ... Redmond reminisced about his time as a Marlins catcher winning Games 6 and 7 of the NL championship series against the Cubs 10 years ago at Wrigley. "Those are games we'll talk about for the rest of our lives," he said. ... RHP Scott Baker (Tommy John surgery) made his final rehab appearance Monday, allowing two runs in 5 2-3 innings at Class A Kane County. Sveum said if Baker is activated from the 60-day disabled list, he will be used as a long reliever. ... Cubs LHP James Russell, who has appeared in 70 or more games each of the last two seasons, will not be restricted during the final month, Sveum said. Russell, the Cubs' lone left-handed reliever, will likely pitch only in games the Cubs are winning. ... Giancarlo Stanton was in the Marlins' lineup on Monday after leaving Sunday's game against the Braves with a tweaked ankle.
[Associated
Press]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
