Justin Turner delivers walk-off as Cubs beat Marlins 5-4
The farther Justin Turner’s line drive to left field rolled into the corner, the more obvious it became that it was going to secure the Cubs’ victory.
Vidal Bruján, almost to home plate, was waving in Nico Hoerner as he ran. And Hoerner sped around third so quickly that the throw in stopped at the relay man. Hoerner dove across the plate, and the Cubs secured a 5-4 win against the Marlins in walk-off fashion Saturday.
“It’s just down the line every guy taking good at-bats, good at-bats," Turner said, "and I just was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take the last swing.”
It was the Cubs’ second walk-off win of the season. And it secured the series victory against the Marlins at Wrigley Field, with a chance to aim for the sweep Wednesday.
The Cubs were down 4-2 in the top of the ninth inning, but Hoerner was already thinking through possible situations that could play out when the Cubs were back on offense, picturing the pitch he wanted.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Cubs had a stroke of luck right away. Carson Kelly hit a sharp ground ball to Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards, who lost the ball on the transfer to allow Kelly to reach safely on the error.
Then Dansby Swanson drew a walk. And Moises Ballesteros, in his major-league debut, grounded into a fielder’s choice. Bruján replaced him as a pinch runner at first
“You feel that energy starting to build,” Hoerner said. “As a player, it's a kind of energy that doesn't make you nervous; it makes you excited about what could happen, the excitement of what's possible, and how fun that would be if we made this happen.”
With runners on first and third, Hoerner lined a single into center field to cut the Marlins’ lead to one run.
Then the veteran Turner, who entered Tuesday with a .155 batting average, stepped up to the plate.
“Less than two outs, tying run on third, there's no one else I'd rather have up in that situation than him,” Hoerner said, “as a guy who's going to make contact, going to hit a ball hard in the air somewhere, super pro, awesome teammate. And won the game for us.”
Happ to IL
Cubs left fielder Ian Happ got through his pregame workout Monday, according to manager Craig Counsell.
“But it just felt like he was a little cautious, essentially,” Counsell said. “And didn't want to have to come in [Tuesday], go through the same thing. Can you play? Come in [Wednesday], go through the same thing. Can you play?”
The Cubs instead put him on the 10-day IL and brought up Ballesteros. For the corresponding 40-man roster move, they transferred right-hander Tyson Miller (left hip impingement) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
The Cubs plan to give Happ four or five days off and then start ramping up activity, Counsell said, which could allow for just a minimum stay on the IL. The team backdated the move to Saturday, so he’ll be eligible to return as early as next Tuesday.
Miller setback
Miller’s rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa was interrupted by a comebacker to his calf Friday, in his last outing.
“Hopefully it doesn't set him back too long,” Counsell said, “but it's going to set him back where we’ve got to take him out of competition.”