Miami scores five runs in a big fifth inning.
Miami scores five runs after being no-hit until then to gain split
MIAMI — For a while, the Miami Marlins struggled to make the slightest contact at the plate.
Then in the fifth inning they couldn’t miss.
After going hitless for four innings, the Marlins scored five in the fifth on the way to a 6-0 victory Sunday at Marlins Park. The teams split the four-game series.
“It’s not so much just the 2-2,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s the way we played. That’s what I was happy about. We played aggressive. Our pitchers pitched aggressive. We were able to follow game plans … to keep [the Cubs] slowed down.”
The surge began when outfielder Cameron Maybin broke up the no-hitter bid with a single off Cubs pitcher Jose Quintana. Maybin scored when catcher Chad Wallach singled to right. It was the first hit of the season for Wallach, who had been 0 for 11 in his previous at-bats.
Wallach, who had the first multi-hit game of his career, said he stayed positive during the early slump.
“It’s two games of the season,” Wallach said. “You’ve got 160 more left after that. Just kind of keep your head up, stay positive and try to get better.”
After Derek Dietrich had an RBI single, the Marlins broke it open on third baseman Brian Anderson’s three-RBI double. The damage could have continued but Ander-
son, who has a four-game hitting streak, was caught trying to extend the play into a triple. The Marlins added another run in the sixth when shortstop Yadiel Rivera scored on a wild pitch.
“It was a good, wellplayed series, I think for the most part,” Mattingly said. “After the first inning, we pitched pretty good.”
The Marlins received a strong effort from pitcher Dillon Peters, who allowed six hits and struck out two in six innings. After dealing with location issues in the spring, he completed his longest scoreless outing since going seven innings in his majors debut on Sept. 1.
“He was able to slow them down,” Mattingly said. “They’re a club you can’t just chuck fastballs in there. … That makes his fastball better. After the first inning, he seemed to settle down and throw a lot of strikes with it. They had to respect it and then the [changeup] came out a little bit later.”
Although the Cubs were able to hit him early, Peters pitched his way out several tough spots. The Cubs had runners on second and third with two out in the fifth but Peters got Kyle Schwarber to ground out and end the inning.
Peters also received support from his defense, with Maybin and Lewis Brinson making a couple tough catches in the outfield.
“It just gives you all the confidence in the world,” Peters said. “You throw the ball over the plate and they’re going to go catch it.”
By splitting with the Cubs, who many consider a World Series contender, the Marlins are hoping the success can create momentum heading into a two-game series with the Boston Red Sox that begins today. The performance should also silence some of the critics, who felt they traded away too much talent in the offseason to be taken seriously this season.
“We’re here to win,” Wallach said. “You hear all the jibber-jabber and what everybody is saying. We’re here to win every game and compete. We don’t let that get to us.”