MIAMI – The Marlins signed Jean Segura for a reason.

Miami hoped the veteran infielder -- fresh off the first playoff appearance of his 11-year Major League career -- could provide a contact-oriented approach and solid defense at a relatively new position.

Twenty-three games into his Marlins tenure, however, Segura had gotten off to the worst stretch of his career. Perhaps performances like Friday night’s will change that. Segura produced the walk-off RBI single to give the Marlins a 3-2 victory over the Cubs at loanDepot park. 

“At the end of the day, I really want to contribute to the team - I want to have success,” said Segura, who recorded his ninth career walk-off hit. “They know what I'm capable of, and they know at some point, I'm going to get hot, and when I get hot, it's real because they see it. I just hope it's not too late.”

Miami improved to 14-0 when limiting its opponent to four or fewer runs and 8-0 in one-run games. Friday’s series opener also marked the second straight day Miami scored the go-ahead run(s) in the ninth. In Thursday’s finale in Atlanta, the Marlins erased a four-run deficit with five runs to shock the Braves. 

Friday’s rally came against right-hander Michael Rucker, whom Jorge Soler greeted with a leadoff single. Rucker then hit Luis Arraez and Avisaíl García to load the bases. Down 0-2 in the count, Segura grounded a cutter outside the zone that squeaked past shortstop Dansby Swanson with the infield drawn in.

“I didn't know where to play him [when I was a second baseman] because he just hit it everywhere,” said manager Skip Schumaker, who faced off against Segura during his playing career. “Bad ball hitter, good ball hitter with some pop, and you can't just lay it in there. He's a baseball player. He can play any position, and after him getting to the playoffs last year, he knows what it takes to win and just wants to do anything he can to get back there. 

“And that's why I think he has been frustrated about the start that he's had. That's why he's in there, because like I said, he's a leader, and you still know that he's going to do something good at the plate. I don't care if he's 0-for-his-last 20. I feel good whenever he's at the plate because something's going to happen.”

Segura also knotted the game at 2 with a run-scoring single in the seventh inning to chase right-hander Marcus Stroman. That marked Segura's first RBI since April 15 -- snapping a stretch of nine straight games without one.

“It's way better having him as a teammate than it was when I had to face him,” said left-hander Jesús Luzardo, who allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings. “He's kind of like Arraez. I feel like he's just like a pest when he's hitting, so it's great to have a guy like that on your team. And it sucks when you have to face him, so I'm sure he made it tough on them, and clearly he did.”

The 33-year-old’s cold start baffles him considering how hot of a spring he had. When Segura wasn’t at the World Baseball Classic, he did what he does best -- spraying the ball all over the field for a slash line of .327/.378/.479 in 13 Grapefruit League games.

Then the regular season came. From April 7-11, Segura hit .211, but his xBA (based on quality of contact) was .353. From April 12-27, he hit .205 and his xBA was .280. Entering Friday, his strikeout rate (16.9 percent) was the highest of his career outside of the COVID-19-affected 2020 season. His minus-1.9 launch angle, which explains his 58.5 percent ground-ball rate, is at an all-time low. Still, his hard-hit percentage (40.9 percent) and average exit velocity (89.5 mph) were career highs. 

“I don't remember having a tougher stretch,” Segura said. “At some point, it happens to all Major Leaguers. I just had to continue working hard, do my best to get at it. I feel like early in the year, I was hitting the ball really good, hard right at people, not having good luck. Sometimes baseball's like that. Today, I put four balls on the ground and two went through. 

“Sometimes, baseball's not on your side, and there's nothing you can do about it. I just had to continue to keep working and keep with the team, and at some point, it's going to turn around. I feel like I'm way too good an athlete to spend the whole year struggling like that. I'm a veteran and I know how to get at it, and I had to keep going. I had no choice. So for me, [I] just want to continue working hard and winning baseball games.”