Marlins at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs' winning streak ended against the unlikeliest of opponents as they squandered a ninth-inning lead in the opener of their series versus the league-worst Miami Marlins. Chicago looks to get back on track when it hosts Miami for the second contest of their four-game set.
The Cubs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and entered the ninth with a 4-3 edge before Pedro Strop yielded three runs in the ninth en route to a 6-5 setback. Anthony Rizzo belted his 200th career home run and Kris Bryant also went deep for Chicago, which has suffered back-to-back losses just once since enduring a six-game slide from March 30-April 5. Jon Berti hit his first major-league homer and Martin Prado drove in the decisive run for Miami, which became the last team to reach double digits in victories. The Marlins will attempt to win consecutive games for just the third time this year and first since defeating Washington on April 19 and 20.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), NBCS Chicago Plus
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Caleb Smith (3-0, 2.00 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (2-1, 1.73)
Smith has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal first quarter of the season for Miami, posting a 0.83 WHIP and limiting opponents to a .168 batting average while allowing more than two runs just once in his first six starts. The 27-year-old Texan, who has registered 45 strikeouts while issuing only nine walks in 36 innings, is coming off a victory over Cleveland on Wednesday in which he gave up one run and four hits over seven frames. Smith made his only career start against Chicago on March 30, 2018, yielding one run and four hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in 5 1/3 innings of a no-decision.
Lester has put his hamstring injury behind him as he has allowed just one run and five hits over 12 innings in two starts since being activated. The 35-year-old was superb while pitching in his native state of Washington on Wednesday, giving up one hit and one walk with eight strikeouts over seven scoreless frames in a victory over Seattle. Lester is 2-1 with one complete game and a 5.01 ERA in six career starts against the Marlins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rizzo's homer on Monday was his 199th as a Cub, moving him past Hank Sauer for ninth place on the franchise list.
2. Prado has hit safely in five of his last six contests and eight of his last 11.
3. Chicago recalled Carl Edwards Jr., who worked a scoreless inning on Monday, from Iowa and optioned fellow RHP Dillon Maples to the Triple-A club.