De La Cruz's game-winner saves Miami

[Isaac Azout]

"I don't want to say he called it, but he sort of called it," said manager Skip Schumaker about Bryan De La Cruz's dramatic game-winning home run in the ninth. 

As Miami's hottest hitter stepped into the box in the top of the ninth inning down by one, the Marlins were two outs away from their 17th loss in 21 games. Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay was on the mound looking to secure his fourth save of the season in front of 36,379 boisterous Chicago fans. With a runner on first and one out, Bryan De La Cruz launched a 2-0 middle-in sinker over the wall in left to give Miami a 3-2 lead in the ninth, a lead the Marlins would not surrender. He flipped his bat and jumped with excitement and emotion as he trotted down the first base line. 

"You know, when I was over there on the bench and our coach told the manager that they were going to move me for a pinch-runner, I told them, 'What do you mean a pinch-runner? I'm going to get a homer here and you're not going to need to do that,'" said De La Cruz postgame through a translator. 

In the end, De La Cruz was spot-on, as his game-winning homer saved Miami and helped the team improve to 5-16 on the season. The Fish also secured their first one-run win of the year. The victory also got starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo—who was in the clubhouse when De La Cruz hit the homer—off the hook for the loss on Saturday. "Yeah. I was up here, and everyone was celebrating. You could just feel it in the air. He's hot right now and he's our guy at the moment," said Luzardo. 

Since Jake Burger landed on the IL with an oblique strain, De La Cruz has become Miami's most consistent offensive performer. He has an eight-game hit streak, including at least one extra-base hit and RBI in seven consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak in club history. 

When asked what has been the key to him feeling as good as he does right now, De La Cruz said, "I think it's the consistency that I've developed. That routine that I keep going every single time. I think that's what's getting me the results right now."

The results are indeed there, as his season slash line improved to .287/.300/.506. He leads the team with five home runs and is second to Burger with 14 RBI.  "He's had good at-bats all year long. He and Luis [Arraez] at the top are really good and they had a really good day," said manager Skip Schumaker. 

 

Luzardo gets back on track

With his parents in attendance, Jesús Luzardo turned in his best start of the 2024 season on Saturday. Despite the challenges of facing Major League Baseball's toughest offense vs. left-handed pitching (162 wRC+ as a team), Luzardo completed six innings for the first time this season. "I even tried to lobby for a seventh, but Skip said no way," said Luzardo. "On a day like today, I felt like it was important to go and get that sixth at least, but I always want to go as deep as possible."

After two solid innings to begin his day, the southpaw's lone hiccup came in the third. Following back-to-back one-out singles by Alexander Canario and Nico Hoerner, Patrick Wisdom drilled a two-run triple off the right-center field wall to give the Cubs the early lead. However, Luzardo didn't allow a walk or hit from the fourth inning on. 

"I came into the dugout [after the third], me and Mel had a conversation and he said I gotta get in the zone and keep attacking and I feel like my mentality kind of changed. I had to trust my stuff and let them hit it," said the left-hander postgame.  

Luzardo's final line: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO. He threw a season-high 104 pitches, 64 for strikes. On a day where Miami desperately needed their starting pitcher to go deep, their ace came through. "We need him to be that guy. He was the opening day starter for a reason. He's supposed to help us stop the bleeding and he did that today," said Schumaker. 

 

It's never easy

After the dramatic top of the ninth, Miami still had some work to do in the bottom half. Closer Tanner Scott came in looking for his third save of the season, but allowed back-to-back singles to begin the frame. A perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt by Miguel Amaya put the Cubs a measly single away from winning the game. Scott put his head down and struck out Canario and got the hot-hitting Hoerner to ground out to first.

Miami improved to 5-16 while the Cubs fell to 12-8. The second game of Saturday's doubleheader is at 7:40 ET when Roddery Muñoz will make his Major League debut against Shota Imanaga. 

 

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