Marlins Rally Past Cubs For 7-5 Win
CHICAGO (AP) -- Greg Dobbs hit a two-run homer and drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning, leading the Florida Marlins to 7-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
After Dobbs' four-pitch walk against Kerry Wood (1-5), Logan Morrison capped Florida's three-run rally with a two-run single to center that made it 7-4.
Aramis Ramirez hit a two-out RBI double in the bottom half but Randy Choate came in and got Carlos Pena to bounce out to end the inning. Leo Nunez allowed Marlon Byrd's leadoff single in the ninth before retiring three straight for his 26th save.
Hanley Ramirez homered during Florida's three-run first, belting a long solo drive for his ninth of the season. John Buck hit three singles and reached four times.
Four Florida pitchers retired 20 straight batters after Darwin Barney's single in the second, the streak ending with Starlin Castro's two-out walk against Steve Cishek in the eighth.
Reed Johnson, Castro and Ramirez each doubled and scored during Chicago's three-run first. Johnson added a sacrifice fly in the second.
Randy Wells allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings for Chicago. The right-hander has surrendered at least four runs in each of his last five starts and is winless since he beat Arizona in his first game of the season on April 4, a span of nine starts.
The Marlins staked Chris Volstad to an early 3-0 lead, but the 6-foot-8 right-hander was removed for a pinch hitter in the fourth. He gave up six runs and four hits.
Burke Badenhop replaced Volstad and threw three perfect innings. Edward Mujica (8-2) tossed a perfect seventh and leads the Marlins in victories.
Florida won three of four in the series to improve to 14-9 under 80-year-old manager Jack McKeon. It has won 12 of 16 overall.
Wells' first-inning problems continued on Sunday. He walked leadoff hitter Emilio Bonifacio and Dobbs followed with an opposite-field homer that landed in the basket in left-center.
One batter later, Ramirez launched a 3-2 pitch that nearly left Wrigley Field just a shade to the left of center. The ball landed behind the camera booth behind the batter's eye.
Wells has allowed 13 first-inning runs in 10 starts this season, including five of the 10 homers he has surrendered.
The Cubs bounced back with three in the bottom half against Volstad. Blake DeWitt singled home Ramirez with two outs, tying it at 3.
Wells recovered to throw a scoreless second, but Volstad's problems continued. Geovany Soto and Barney singled to start the Cubs second. Each runner moved up on Wells' sacrifice, and Johnson drove in Soto with a fly ball to center.
Buck singled in Mike Stanton to tie it in the fourth, and the Marlins went ahead for good during a wild eighth inning.
Stanton started the inning with a strikeout but hustled to first when Wood's fastball struck home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in the mask and rolled back to the screen.
Mike Cameron hit into a double play, but Wood hit Buck, who was replaced by pinch-runner Brett Hayes. Wood then walked pinch-hitter Wes Helms and Emilio Bonifacio reached on an infield single to load the bases for Dobbs.
NOTES: The Marlins play at New York on Monday to make up a May 17 rainout. RHP Clay Hensley will start for the first time this season. He's been on the disabled list since June 3 with a right shoulder sprain and before that pitched out of the Florida bullpen. McKeon said Hensley won't be on a strict pitch count and will "go as long as he can go." ... Cubs manager Mike Quade said before the game that he planned to give struggling closer Carlos Marmol another day off. Marmol, who has allowed six runs and walked six batters over his last 1 2-3 innings, is working with pitching coach Mark Riggins to iron out some mechanical issues. ... Bonifacio extended his career-high hitting streak to 16 games with an infield single to start the fifth. It's the longest active streak in the major leagues.
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