MIAMI (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an inside-the-park home run and the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 6-3 on Friday night.
Ian Happ and Miguel Amaya also homered for the Cubs (64-65), who began a nine-game road trip.
Crow-Armstrong’s 14.08 seconds home to home is the fastest in the major leagues since Byron Buxton’s 13.85 on Aug. 18, 2017 as a member of the Minnesota Twins.
Isaac Paredes’ run-scoring double against Marlins reliever Brett de Geus (0-2) in the eighth snapped a 3-all tie. Amaya then connected with a two-run drive off Kent Emanuel in the ninth.
Porter Hodge (2-1) worked 1 1/3 innings of relief for the win before Jorge López pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
The Marlins dropped to an NL-worst 46-82 and will end with their 24th losing season in the franchise’s 32-year history.
Miami chased Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks after Kyle Stowers walked with the bases loaded to tie it 3-3 in the fifth.
Happ’s two-run blast capped a three-run third that put the Cubs ahead 3-1. He drove a slider from Marlins starter Max Meyer for his 23rd homer.
Earlier in the third, Crow-Armstrong tied it with his sprint around the bases. His drive to the warning track got past right fielder Jesús Sánchez and caromed toward right-center, where centerfielder Derek Hill retrieved it and threw it to second baseman Otto López. Crow-Armstrong beat López’s relay throw with a head-first slide at the plate.
Jonah Bride’s RBI single in the third narrowed the deficit to 3-2 for Miami.
Meyer completed six innings, allowing three runs and six hits. The right-hander walked two and struck out two.
Hendricks gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Miami shortstop Xavier Edwards exited the game after the second because of lower back discomfort. Edwards singled in his at-bat to lead off the first and stole second. He then took his position in the second inning but was pinch hit for by Vidal Brujan when his turn came up again in the third.
ROSTER MOVES
Before the game, the Cubs recalled infielder Luis Vazquez from Triple-A Iowa and designated infielder David Bote for assignment. They also claimed right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell off waivers from Arizona and optioned him to Iowa.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: LHP Jordan Wicks (oblique) threw a bullpen session on Friday.
Marlins: LHP Braxton Garrett (left forearm flexor strain) and LHP Ryan Weathers (left index finger strain) threw their second bullpen sessions on Friday. . LHP Josh Simpson (left elbow ulnar neuritis) will have his second rehab outing with Triple-A Jacksonville on Saturday.
UP NEXT
LHP Shota Imanaga (9-3, 3.11) gets the start for the Cubs in the second game of the series on Saturday, while RHP Valente Bellozo (2-1, 2.45) starts for the Marlins.
