Cooper's homer helps Marlins sweep Cubs

[October 03, 2020]  Garrett Cooper's seventh-inning solo homer snapped a scoreless tie and led the Miami Marlins to a series-clinching 2-0 win over the host Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon.

The sixth-seeded Marlins, who lost 105 games last year, upset the third-seeded Cubs in two consecutive games in the best-of-three National League first-round series. Miami will play the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series beginning Tuesday in Houston.

Right fielder Matt Joyce also had a big game for the Marlins as he cut down a runner at the plate and then doubled, which led to a run.

Cubs starter Yu Darvish pitched well but took the loss after allowing two runs in the seventh. He yielded five hits and two walks while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

Miami rookie starter Sixto Sanchez pitched five scoreless innings and left with a no-decision. He allowed four hits and two walks, and he fanned six.

Reliever Brad Boxberger (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings and picked up the victory. Richard Bleier and Yimi Garcia also held Chicago in check, and Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth, earning the save and completing the five-hit shutout.

The Marlins were without standout center fielder Starling Marte, who fractured his left little finger in Game 1. But Marte's replacement, Magneuris Sierra, had an RBI single in Miami's seventh-inning rally.

Both teams failed to score in the fourth despite putting runners on first and second with none out.

Miami's rally was crushed when Brian Anderson grounded into a double play.

Chicago's rally fizzled immediately following Jason Heyward's two-out single to right, which shattered his bat. Joyce then fired a one-hop strike to catcher Chad Wallach, who shut down Willson Contreras' attempt to score from second.

In the fifth, Heyward got some revenge on Joyce, running down his drive to the warning track in the right field corner. The next batter, Miguel Rojas, smashed a drive off the wall, but left fielder Kyle Schwarber threw him out trying to stretch a single into a double.

Sanchez then escaped a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the bottom of the fifth, getting Schwarber to fly out to left.

Darvish got the first two batters in the seventh before Cooper drove a 2-2 slider 370 feet to left. Joyce then doubled on a ball that flicked off the tip of the glove of center fielder Ian Happ, who dove on the play. Marlins manager Don Mattingly replaced Joyce with pinch runner Lewis Brinson, who then scored on Sierra's single to right.

In the ninth, Heyward hit a leadoff double, but Kintzler struck out the next three batters to end the game.

--Field Level Media

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