Cabrera brilliant in return, but late homer sinks Marlins
Edward Cabrera threw five no-hit innings, but Willson Contreras’ late home run lifted the Chicago Cubs as the Marlins begin a three-game road series.
How to describe Edward Cabrera’s first MLB start after a nearly twomonth injury hiatus?
In a word: Dominant. The Miami Marlins’ 24-year-old right-handed pitcher threw five no-hit innings on Friday against the Chicago Cubs, striking out eight and allowing just three hits.
But the outing went to waste.
Willson Contreras hit a goahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning against Dylan Floro as the Cubs beat the Marlins 2-1 at Wrigley Field to begin a three-game series.
Miami falls to 48-58, while the Cubs improve to 42-63.
Contreras’ game-winning home run came on an 0-1 changeup below the strike zone that he lifted to left-center field. Contreras had fouled off a sinker on the first pitch of the at-bat. Nick Madrigal led off the inning with a single to right field to put the game-tying run on the basepaths.
“When I’m good, I’m mixing pitches up,” said Floro, who hadn’t allowed an earned run in his past 12 relief appearances entering Friday. “I can’t just keep throwing the same thing. He had the right swing. [The pitch] could have been more inside, but you tip your hat. He got me there.”
In the span of one pitch, Cabrera’s return was spoiled.
Cabrera’s eight strikeouts were one shy of his single-game career-high. Cubs hitters swung at 34 of Cabrera’s 78 pitches — and missed on 17 of those swings.
His fastball topped out at 98.3 mph and averaged 96.3 mph, about a halfmile slower than his season average. He mixed in all of his pitches as well — 29 total fastballs, 24
changeups, 13 sliders and 12 curveballs.
Cabrera ran into trouble with his command in the first inning. He issued a pair of walks to put runners on first and second base with one out before slipping out of the jam when he got Ian Happ to hit a soft line drive to shortstop Miguel Rojas, who stepped on second base to complete an unassisted inning-ending double play. He threw 22 pitches in the inning.
After that? Cabrera cruised.
A perfect second inning, including two strikeouts, on 14 pitches.
A perfect third inning, with another two strikeouts, on 13 pitches.
An 18-pitch fourth inning with two more strikeouts while working around a two-out walk to Happ.
And another perfect inning in the fifth with another two strikeouts on just 11 pitches.
“I just kept trusting my pitches,” Cabrera said. “Even though I was making mistakes [early], I was just trying again, over and over. Trying to get the grip for my fastball and just trusting in what I’ve got.”
It was a pleasant sight for the Marlins after Cabrera’s long injured list stint.
Cabrera had been on the IL since June 13 with right elbow tendonitis and spent more than a month sidelined before beginning a rehab assignment on
July 16. In his final rehab start prior to rejoining the Marlins on Friday, Cabrera threw just 61 pitches.
Cabrera said he tried not to focus on how long he was away from the team during his rehab. Instead, he wanted to make sure that he was as best prepared as possible to be ready to contribute when he did return.
“I kept myself busy,” said Cabrera, who had a 3.45 ERA in his first three MLB starts this season prior to the injury. “I knew as long as I do that, I could get back to the field and do my job well.”
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said pregame Friday that the team planned to be cautious with Cabrera during his first start, similar to how they handled Jesus Luzardo’s return on Monday.
(Luzardo threw 81 pitches over five innings in that game).
Mattingly stayed true to that plan, taking Cabrera out of the game after 78 pitches despite not allowing a hit and the game being tied 0-0 at that point and went to the bullpen.
“First thing first, you’ve got to protect the kid,” Mattingly said. “But this outing gives him a chance to [increase] his pitch count the next time out.”
Huascar Brazoban and Steven Okert worked around a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth with three strikeouts. Anthony Bender worked around a oneout walk with a groundout and popout in the seventh.
But the Cubs pulled ahead for good in the eighth.
Joey Wendle hit an RBI single in the seventh for Miami’s lone run of the game. It scored Luke Williams, who pinch-ran for Charles Leblanc.
The Marlins went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners on base.