Chen keeps up home dominance as Miami halts six-game slide

MIAMI — Years from now, baseball historians will comb through Wei-Yin Chen’s 2018 season in sheer astonishment, wondering, “How can a pitcher be so good at home yet so bad on the road?”

In nine starts away from Marlins Park, Chen is 1-6 with a 10.27 ERA — the worst of any MLB starter.

Back home, though, Chen has looked like an All-Star on the mound.

On Monday night in Miami, the lefty continued his Jekyll and Hyde season, tossing 5 scoreless innings to lower his home ERA to 1.94 and help the Marlins top the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1.

Chen allowed just one hit and two walks, while striking out four on 91 pitches as Miami snapped a six-game losing streak.

Marlins closer Kyle Barraclough nearly coughed it up in the ninth inning, though. The 28-year-old, who had blown three consecutive saves prior to Monday night’s performance, lasted just of an inning, allowing two hits, two walks and one earned run. Marlins manager Don Mattingly finally pulled the plug on Barraclough after walking in a run with bases loaded. Javy Guerra came out of the bullpen and induced a game-ending double play to save the game.

Former Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who spent five seasons with Miami from 2013-17, made his return to South Florida after being traded to the Cardinals in the offseason. The 27-year-old went 2-for-3 on Monday night.

Starting a week-long homestand, the Marlins wasted no time in its South Florida return. After a Derek Dietrich leadoff double, Brian Anderson smacked his MLB rookie-leading 53rd RBI to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead.

The Fish extended the lead in the fourth as Starlin Castro demolished a 407-foot home run to left — his ninth of the season — to push Miami’s lead to 2-0.

Chen exited the game in sixth inning with two outs after allowing a walk. Elisier Hernandez came out of the bullpen and recorded the final out to keep the Cardinals off the board. Drew Steckenrider, who allowed two earned runs in his last relief appearance, tossed a scoreless eight inning.

Miami’s bullpen, which has struggled over the past week, rebounded in Monday’s series opener. Tayron Guerrero pitched a scoreless seventh inning.