Bryant leads 4-run 10th as Cubs top Marlins

Bryant leads 4-run 10th as Cubs top Marlins

April 1st, 2018

MIAMI -- It was the Cubs' turn on Saturday night to celebrate in extra innings.
provided the power, delivered a tiebreaking RBI single in the 10th inning and added a three-run double to lift the Cubs to a 10-6 victory over the Marlins.
The Cubs pieced together just enough pitching after starter was limited to 4 1/3 innings in his Cubs debut.
"These three games, for the first three games of the year, are so awkward," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "The pitching didn't want to work. It was not Yu's best effort, but there's a lot to look forward to after this."
After playing 17 innings on Friday night in a 2-1 loss to the Marlins, the Cubs hoped Darvish could go deep, and that they had enough coffee. , , , and Mike Montgomery combined for 5 2/3 innings of relief, with Montgomery appearing in his third straight game.
"I was not expecting to get in there today," Montgomery said. "In the eighth inning, all we had left was Strop, and the Marlins tied it up. When we didn't take the lead in the ninth and the 10th comes around, everybody said, 'Hey, can you go?'
"I actually feel pretty good, considering. The big difference was having a four-run lead, which takes a little pressure off being one pitch away from them tying it up. All things considered, I feel good."
The Cubs had built Montgomery up as a possible starter. He just didn't expect to be on pace to appear in 162 games.
"I feel good, but I think I should get tomorrow off," Montgomery said. "We'll see. You never know."
Darvish was charged with five runs on five hits, including a two-run homer by before he even recorded an out.
• Darvish's Cubs debut: 5 runs in 4 1/3

"He wasn't really sharp overall," Maddon said. "A lot of pitches for 4 1/3. He showed glimpses where the command was good. His fastball command was off a little. I would say, overall, he didn't have his best stuff tonight."
Schwarber did. He crushed a 3-1 pitch from Marlins starter into the upper deck in right field with a runner on to tie the game at 2 in the second inning.
• Schwarber puts one in upper deck in Miami

Despaigne had finished Friday's game, which ended in the early hours Saturday, and got the win. He couldn't do it again.
On Friday, the Cubs struck out 20 times and went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. On Saturday, they went 4-for-16 with RISP, including 's two-run single in the fifth. 's sacrifice fly in the sixth gave Chicago a 6-5 lead, but the Marlins tied the game in the eighth on 's two-out RBI single.

In the 10th, doubled to lead off, his first hit of the season, and the Marlins' walked . Baez scored on Zobrist's single to right, and the Cubs would load the bases to set up Bryant's double.
"We did some really nice stuff," Maddon said. "How about Zobrist? He's swinging the bat as well as anybody on the team right now. Schwarber hits a big bomb, and [Bryant] continues to have good at-bats. It's almost like some of them are trying way too hard. Let's just back it off a little bit, see the ball, don't try to do too much. Get back to the whole field -- we're getting too pull conscious too early."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Keeping the line moving: The Cubs broke through with a crucial two-out hit in the fifth. Jason Heyward singled with one out and one out later, and Bryant drew walks. Rizzo snapped an 0-for-12 skid when he delivered a two-run single off Despaigne, with a third run scoring on the play when right fielder bobbled the ball for an error.

Russell's hustle: Addison Russell's ability to escape a rundown in the 10th turned out to be a big play because it extended the inning for Bryant to collect his three-run, two-out triple. Russell was caught too far off of third when Marlins catcher Holaday fielded Albert Almora Jr.s swinging bunt in from the plate. Holaday ran Russell back toward third, but waited too long to make the throw, as Russell used a headfirst dive to beat the tag by . The Marlins challenged that Anderson had tagged Russell's leg before he got back to the base, but the call would stand after a brief review.

QUOTABLE
"We had our best pitched game [Friday by ] and lost. How does that happen? How does that work? You've got [Jon] Lester and Yu struggling a little bit in their first outings. You know good stuff is on the way. Give the Marlins credit. They're playing really hard, and they care, and that's what you're seeing out there. Their pitching has been outstanding. Their bullpen has been really good." -- Maddon

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
Shortly after losing a challenge on the Russell play, the Marlins issued a second challenge in the 10th after Cubs rookie was ruled safe at home on Bryant's double. That call would also stand.

WHAT'S NEXT
Cubs: makes his season debut on Sunday when the Cubs close this four-game series. This will be the left-hander's first career start against the Marlins. This spring, Quintana struck out 13 and gave up three earned runs over 18 1/3 innings in five starts. First pitch will be 12:10 p.m. CT.
Marlins: In Sunday's series finale at 1:10 p.m. ET, left-hander will face the Cubs at Marlins Park. Miami's No. 15 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, opens the season in the rotation because Dan Straily (right forearm strain) is on the disabled list. Peters made six starts as a September callup in 2017, going 1-2 with a 5.17 ERA in 31 1/3 innings.
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