Miami Marlins bust out brooms sweeping Chicago Cubs

Miami, Florida – The Miami Marlins got their first sweep of the season edging out the Chicago Cubs 4-3 recording their fourth straight one-run victory. With the win, the Fish not only improve to 16-13 but they’re 10-0 in one-run games. The last team to achieve that was the 2004 Los Angeles Dodgers. The last team to go 11-0 in one-run games was the 1972 New York Mets.

Luis Arraez popped a sacrifice fly deep to center field with no outs and runners at the corners, scoring Jon Berti for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run. Arraez finished the afternoon going 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Garrett Hampson, who made his first career start at right field, hit back-to-back doubles. He and Berti were the only Marlins with a multi-hit game. Both finished 2-for-3 with the former recording a run and a RBI and the latter scoring twice.

Bryan Hoeing got the start for Miami, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on five hits while striking out four.

Arraez hits it deep enough to CF for the sac fly. Berti scores and the Fish once again takes the lead 4-3 at the bottom of the eighth. One out with a runner in scoring position for Soler. Cubs going with a pitching change. Keegan Thompson is out. Adbert Alzolay is in. #Marlins pic.twitter.com/Eb6KqlRxrg

— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) April 30, 2023

Back and forth

Chicago jumped to an early lead in the third. Edwin Ríos doubled on a sharp line drive to right field off Hoeing to start the inning. After moving up on the Yan Gomes grounder, Dansby Swanson found the gap on the left side for the RBI single.

Jean Segura grounded into an inning-ending double play but Miami scratches two. Cooper struck out on the passed ball but Hampson scored on the play. Luis Arraez singled adding another run. Fish leapfrog over Cubbies 2-1 through three. #Marlins || #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/89zq6l0VwG

— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) April 30, 2023

The Fish responded that same inning with deuces. Garrett Cooper struck out with runners at the corners but Hampson scored on the passed ball. Arraez singled plating Berti for the 2-1 advantage.

The Cubs evened the score in the fourth by pouncing on a big fielding mistake at center. Jazz Chisholm Jr., misplayed Seiya Suzuki’s liner turning it into a triple. Cody Bellinger swatted a sacrifice fly to Chisholm bringing Suzuki home. Afterward, Hoeing ran into a serious rough patch with two gone. Eric Hosmer singled, Ríos walked, and Gomes was hit by a pitch loading ’em for second baseman Nico Hoerner. Hoeing punched out Hoerner escaping the jam.

Cooper exited the game in the fourth due to an upset stomach. Arraez was moved to first base in the defensive switch. He played the position for the first time this season as a Marlin. Hampson was shuffled to shortstop.

Dad strength. 💪 pic.twitter.com/QIVYnBQnCP

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 30, 2023

Miami struck back courtesy of a Hampson RBI double only for the Cubs to equalize in the sixth thanks to Bellinger’s seventh home run of the year off Andrew Nardi. The eighth saw the Marlins retake the lead for good. Berti drew a walk followed by a base hit from Jesús Sánchez with the former speeding his way to third on the play. Arraez’s sac fly made it 4-3.

A.J. Puk retired the side for his fifth save of the year capping the Miami Marlins sweep of the Chicago Cubs. He now owns a razor-sharp 0.75 ERA.

Impressions

Heck of a defensive stop by Jean Segura gloving Nelson Velazquez' liner quickly slinging it to Jon Berti for the double play. Remains 3-3 heading to the bottom of the eighth. #Marlins || #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/gWLivjUFpQ

— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) April 30, 2023

This was Miami’s fourth attempt at a sweep and they nailed it. Their previous tries were versus Arizona (April 14-16), San Francisco (April 17-19), and at Cleveland (doubleheader April 22-23).  I gotta give Hoeing his props. The 26-year-old righty climbed out of a major hole he dug himself in what was arguably the most important inning of the game. By only allowing a run he kept the Marlins competitive affording the ballclub a chance to win.

Death, Taxes, and Luis Arraez hits.

Marlins lead 2-1 after this base knock.

Come join us @FoxSports940, @MLBTV and @iHeartRadio pic.twitter.com/P0Y8P67BM1

— Marlins Radio Network (@MarlinsRadio) April 30, 2023

With April in the books, Arraez set a couple of club records for the month. His .443 batting average beat Dee Strange-Gordon’s .409 mark from April 2015. Arraez’s .511 OBP also topped Luis Castillo’s .500 mark in April of 2000. He’s been the heart and soul of this offense reinforcing how brilliant his acquisition has been. Speaking of, the Fish were 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position, a healthy number in tight contests. With the exception of Nardi serving up that homer, the bullpen was efficient. Matt Barnes and Tanner Scott pitched scoreless innings. Puk was lights out as expected.

Lastly, Garrett Hampson’s first start at right field went fine. He made his first catch at the spot with Seiya Suzuki’s pop-up in the first frame. Hampson couldn’t glove Edwin Ríos’ sharp liner in the third which turned into a double but outside of that no complaints.

Photo | Tony Ozegovich