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The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping |
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CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Florida Marlins spoiled Jeff
Samardzija's major league debut, then continued their recent
dominance of the Chicago Cubs.
Pinch hitter Jeremy Hermida led off the ninth inning with a long
home run Friday, lifting the Marlins to a 3-2 victory over the
Cubs.
Hermida's blast off Bobby Howry (3-4), which snapped a 2-2 tie,
landed on Sheffield Avenue beyond the right field bleachers at
Wrigley Field. The homer gave Florida its 11th win in the last
12 meetings with Chicago.
"It is fun since I haven't had many pinch hits," Hermida said.
"It's nice to come up and help the team get a win in that
situation."
"I told Jeremy before the game not to think anything of (not
starting), but be ready to play the game today, and obviously,
he was," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
The Cubs snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Marlins on
Thursday and looked for two in a row behind Ryan Dempster, who
has lost at home only once this season.
Dempster allowed only two hits but endured control problems,
walking a season-high six. He was lifted after six innings,
throwing just 68 of his 110 pitches for strikes.
"It won't be all roses every time you go out there, and today,
it was a battle," Dempster said. "I was trying to make pitches
and just fight my way through a few situations."
Prior to the game, the Cubs recalled Samardzija from Class AAA
Iowa, and manager Lou Piniella said he would use the former star
wide receiver at Notre Dame right away.
Piniella was a man of his word, as Samardzija replaced Dempster
in the seventh with the Cubs holding a 2-1 lead. He appeared to
be battling nerves as his second pitch was in the dirt, and then
he threw the ball over the head of catcher Geovanny Soto on a
pitchout after giving up a one-out single to Hanley Ramirez.
Samardzija was one pitch away from getting out of the seventh,
but Jorge Cantu ripped a 2-2 offering into the left-field corner
for a game-tying double. Prior to the at-bat, Cantu was hitting
.410 with two outs and runners in scoring position.
"The people were standing up and cheering, and I loved it,"
Samardzija said. "You couldn't ask for anything more. If I
would have made a couple of pitches, though, it would be a
different story."
Justin Miller (3-2) got the final two outs in the bottom of the
eighth to record the win. Kevin Gregg, Florida's sixth
pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save.
The Marlins got a solid outing from starter Josh Johnson, who
allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in his third
straight since being activated from the disabled list. He gave
up solo homers by Soto in the second and Reed Johnson in the
fifth.
"I know Dempster is tough here, so I had to throw the ball well
enough to keep us in the game," Josh Johnson said. "The big
thing for me this year is to limit walks, and if the other team
scores, try and limit it to one run."
Samardzija settled down to pitch a perfect eighth, but the Cubs
failed to take advantage of numerous opportunities.
"I am looking for people that can hit, that is what I am looking
for," Piniella said. "We are going to put the best team we can
out there that can put runs on the board."
In the fifth, Alfonso Soriano was thrown out at the plate by
left fielder Josh Willingham while trying to score on Ryan
Theriot's single. The following inning, pinch hitter Daryle
Ward, batting for Dempster, struck out to leave the bases
loaded.
After stranding two runners in the seventh, the Cubs threatened
again in the eighth as a double by pinch hitter Jim Edmonds put
runners on second and third. Bu
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