Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga delivers during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Chicago.
13:06 JST, April 21, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger and Alexander Canario homered and the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 5-3 on Saturday night to earn a share of the day-night doubleheader.
In the opener, Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run homer off Adbert Alzolay in the ninth inning, and the Marlins defeated the Cubs 3-2.
Shota Imanaga (3-0) gave up three runs, two of them earned, in six innings in the nightcap for the Cubs, who have won six of their last seven games. Imanaga’s scoreless streak that started his Major League career ended in the fourth inning at 18 2/3 innings.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga gestures to catcher Yan Gomes before pitching during the fourth inning in the second baseball game of the team’s doubleheader against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Chicago.
Héctor Neris worked around a single in the ninth inning and picked up his first save in two chances.
Josh Bell homered for the Marlins, whose overall record fell to 5-17.
The Cubs trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning and rallied, scoring four runs. Canario connected on a 400-foot drive to left field for his first home run of the season, chasing Roddery Muñoz and pulling the Cubs within one. Michael Busch followed with a two-run single off Anthony Bender (0-1). Busch, who was acquired in a trade with Los Angeles in January, has gone 19 for 51 in his last 14 games.
“Relentless, from one through nine, everyone is giving quality at-bats and sometimes it just seems like a matter of time,” Bellinger said. “That’s a good feeling and quality at bats every day. That leads to a lot of success.”
Bellinger hit a solo shot off Muñoz in the first inning for a 1-0 Cubs lead. Muñoz struckout seven in five innings and allowed two runs and two hits in his big league debut.
“I was a little nervous out there, I’m not going to lie, but in my mind I was focused and I knew I just had to be confident out there and I think I did that,” Muñoz said through an interpreter. .
Bell reached on shortstop Nico Hoerner’s fielding error and scored on Tim Anderson’s double off Imanaga to tie the score in the fourth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. then singled to give the Marlins the lead.
Bell hit a solo shot in the sixth off Imanaga, who signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Cubs in January.
“A bit similar to the previous start, had a bit of trouble,” Imanaga said through an interpreter.
Luis Arraez had three basehits for Miami in the first game. He singled with one out in the ninth, and De La Cruz followed with a drive to left-center for his fifth home run, having also gone deep in each of his previous two games.
Manager Skip Schumaker said the Marlins planned to make a run for De La Cruz if he got on base. De La Cruz didn’t like that idea and offered an alternative.
“I said to them, ‘What do you mean by a pinch runner?’ I’m going to hit a homer here. You don’t have to do that,” De La Cruz said through an interpreter.
It was the fourth save in seven chances for Alzolay (1-2).
“We need Adbert to come out,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Wherever it is, we need Adbert to be an effective member of the bullpen. I strongly believe he will be.”
Calvin Faucher (1-0) struck out four in two scoreless innings, and Tanner Scott earned his third save.
De La Cruz hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
The doubleheader was scheduled after rain postponed Thursday’s series opener.
Anderson, a two-time All-Star during eight seasons with the White Sox, went 1 for 5 Saturday while drawing boos.
