LDN - Sports

Cubs do it all offensively in victory

[June 07, 2017] CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo's long ball provided key runs but the Chicago Cubs also mixed things up offensively in a 10-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.

Rizzo's three-run homer in the fifth inning -- his 13th -- gave the Cubs the lead, but Chicago also broke out of an over reliance on homers with seven runs coming via singles and doubles.

"Just to really have some balls on the grass and score runs that way that was kind of nice to do," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Up and down the lineup we swung the bats well."

Rizzo went 2-for-5 with four RBIs while starting pitcher Jake Arrieta turned in his sixth quality start.

"We kept the line moving there and drove the ball all over the place," Rizzo said. "You can't ever hit too many home runs, but we knew it was a solid week when someone didn't drive a run in via the long ball."

Arrieta (6-4) allowed two hits, his fewest of the season, two runs (one earned), walked three and struck out five. He retired 16 straight batters for his first victory since May 21.

The Cubs (30-27), winners of five straight, go for their second straight series sweep in Wednesday's series finale. The Marlins (24-33) suffered their second consecutive loss.

Rizzo homer keyed a four-run fifth as the Cubs erased an early Marlins advantage.

The Marlins got one run back in the seventh when Arrieta gave up a leadoff triple to J.T. Realmuto, who scored on shortstop Addison Russell's error on JT Riddle's grounder.

The Cubs added six more runs in their half of the seventh, all eventually charged to Marlins reliever Brian Ellington.

Kris Bryant opened the inning with a double to left and scored on Rizzo's single to right-center.

Jason Heyward, who went 3-for-5, had a one-out double to drive in Rizzo for a 6-2 lead. After an Albert Almora Jr. single, Javier Baez plated Heyward and Almora with a one-out double.

Ellington walked pinch hitter Ian Happ and departed. Jon Jay greeted reliever Dustin McGowan with a sharp single to left to bring in Jay and Happ to make it 10-2.

Marlins left-hander Jeff Locke (0-1) took the loss after working 4 2/3 innings.

Miami's Giancarlo Stanton singled to center with one out in the first and reached third after back-to-back walks to Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuma. Stanton scored on Realmuto's fielder's choice grounder to short.

"At that point I wanted to use the sinker as much as possible, have a few quick innings and get to the seventh like I was able to," Arrieta said. "I was relying pretty much exclusively on the sinker because it was really good tonight and just pitching to conditions."

[to top of second column]

Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said at least the start was encouraging.

"The first inning was really good as far as working (Arrieta) over," Mattingly said. "We were able to nick him for one and had good at-bats from the standpoint of running his pitch count up. And them from there he was able to settle in and find the strike zone more."

In the fifth, Rizzo slammed a 1-0 pitch off Locke to the right field bleachers for a 3-1 lead. He drove in Jay and Bryant after they walked with two out.

Willson Contreras reached base on an error by shortstop Riddle and Heyward delivered his second hit of the night -- a double to deep right center -- to drive in Contreras and make it 4-1.

That was it for Locke, who threw 89 pitches and was replaced by right-handed reliever Brad Ziegler. Locke allowed four runs (three earned), four hits, four walks and struck out three in 4 2/3 innings.

"It's unacceptable of course on my part," Locke said. "We're here in Chicago playing a really good team and playing well right now. Arrieta's on the mound and you know he's not going to give you a whole lot. So you've just got to do a better job making pitches when you have to make them."

NOTES: Justin Bour, the NL's home run co-leader with 16, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left ankle contusion Tuesday. The Marlins, in turn, called up C Tomas Tells from Triple-A New Orleans. ... Miami is hitting .270 on the road, best in the NL and second only to Houston (.290) in the major leagues. ... The Marlins send RHP Jose Urena (0-1, 1.59 ERA) against Cubs RHP John Lackey (4-5, 4.90 ERA) in Wednesday's series finale. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon continued his leadoff batter shuffling Tuesday with Jon Jay in the top spot for the fourth time this season. Six different Cubs have led off this year. ... The Cubs reactivated reliever Wade Davis from the paternity list Tuesday after a one-day stay and optioned RHP Dylan Floro to Triple-A Iowa.

Back to top