Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (4/28/23): Marlins 3, Cubs 2 – Fish Walk Off in Opener
The Cubs traveled to South Florida to battle the Marlins on Friday night. Chicago could get very little going on offense and Miami was able to win in their last at-bat.
The Cubs took the lead in the top of the 3rd inning when Nelson Velázquez hit a solo home run for the second consecutive game. The Marlins tied the game when Jon Berti hit into a double play in the bottom of the frame.
Nelly feelin' that Miami heat! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SgkaMgbUWc
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 28, 2023
Both starting pitchers, Marcus Stroman and Jesús Luzardo, were very good and the score remained deadlocked at one into the 7th inning. Cody Bellinger tripled in that inning and came in to score on a single from pinch-hitter Eric Hosmer.
Jean Segura evened the game again in the bottom half with an RBI single. Michael Rucker ran into major problems in the 9th, hitting two batters to load the bases, and Segura walked it off with a hit up the middle. (Box score)
Key Moment
The Cubs had two men on base with one out in the top of the 8th inning with Seiya Suzuki at bat. Reliever Dylan Floro induced Suzuki to hit into his second double play of the game to escape the jam.
Why the Cubs Lost
They failed to come through with numerous opportunities with runners in scoring position. Eventually, the light-hitting Marlins were able to scratch across the winning tally.
Stats That Matter
- Stroman got away with some hard contact but he definitely gave his team a chance to win: 6.1 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 3 K, and 2 BB.
- Ian Happ hit the ball hard all day Friday and had two hits.
- Michael Fulmer looked nasty in a perfect inning of work.
- Dansby Swanson reached base three times, including two walks.
Bottom Line
That was a frustrating loss, particularly given the fact they got another quality start. They just weren’t able to cash in their chances and a scrappy Marlins team made them pay for it. Hopefully, the North Siders will get better results against pitchers less talented than Luzardo the rest of the weekend.
On Deck
Chicago looks to even the series Saturday at 3:05pm CT. Caleb Kilian is up from Iowa to make the start against Edward Cabrera. FOX has the exclusive television coverage and a radio feed is available on 670 The Score.
