De La Cruz homers in the 9th inning as the Marlins beat the Cubs 3
CHICAGO (AP) — Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run homer off Adbert Alzolay in the ninth inning, and the Miami Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Saturday in the opener of a split doubleheader.
Luis Arraez collected three more hits for Miami, which had dropped four of five. Jesús Sánchez and Nick Gordon each had two hits.
Arraez is batting .347 (17 for 49) in his last 12 games. He singled with one out in the ninth, and De La Cruz followed with a drive to left-center for his fifth homer after he also went deep in each of his previous two games.
Manager Skip Schumaker said the Marlins were planning to pinch run for De La Cruz if he got on base. De La Cruz didn’t like that idea and offered an alternative.
“I told them, ‘What do you mean, a pinch runner? I’m going to get a homer here. You’re not going to need to do that,’ ” De La Cruz said through an interpreter.