Hamels pitches 7 innings, Cubs complete sweep with 6-0 win

Associated Press

MIAMI - The Cubs are starting to look more like themselves.

Cole Hamels pitched 7 strong innings and the Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins with a 6-0 victory Wednesday night.

"We obviously know that we need to come in and start winning," Hamels said. "We know we're a good ballclub so no matter what team we're playing, let's just go out there and win. If we keep that mentality that's how you start good win streaks."

The Cubs, who won 95 games last season, entered the series with a 5-9 record and outscored the last-place Marlins 17-2 over the three games.

"That's an easy trap," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon on discounting the wins against a struggling club. "It's a major-league game, and I really want people to understand that it's very difficult to win a Major League Baseball game.

"It is. Don't ever think that it's something that you can just throw your glove out and there and can do."

The Marlins have lost nine of 10 and are 4-16 overall.

"This is the lowest point we can reach," Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas said. "We're touching under the water right now."

Hamels (3-0) allowed 3 hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out eight while throwing 65 of his 97 pitches for strikes.

"First of all he's having a really good time out there," Maddon said. "I love that part about him. He's got a joy to play the game of baseball. Plus he swings the bat really well. Beyond that he just attacks, attacks, attacks, and if something goes awry he doesn't change his patterns. He's such a professional."

Daniel Descalso had 2 hits and 3 RBI, Javier Baez homered and knocked in two, and Jason Heyward also drove in a run for the Cubs, who have won five of six.

"We're playing pretty good right now," Baez said. "When our pitchers and our lineup does the job, there's nobody that can beat us."

Baez went 8-for-13 with 1 double, 2 home runs, 6 runs scored and 4 RBI in the series.

"He's always in the middle of everything," Maddon said. "He's just on a very similar-looking pace that he had last year. Good for him."

Hamels retired 15 consecutive batters after allowing a lead-off single to Jorge Alfaro in the second.

Martin Prado broke the string with a one-out single in the seventh, which could have ended on a potential double play.

However, third baseman Kris Bryant bobbled the groundball hit by Brian Anderson and was unable to make a throw. Alfaro singled to left to load the bases.

Hamels got into a 3-0 hole against Starlin Castro but worked himself out of it with a strikeout and got Miguel Rojas to fly out to end the inning unscathed.

"I thought (Castro) would be aggressive with the first two pitches so I was probably trying to be a little too fine," Hamels said. "Once that happens that sort of game plan goes out of the window. I'd rather him get a basehit and earn those RBIs than opposed to giving him the free pass so it's just going out and challenging him."

Descalso started the scoring for the Cubs with a basehit in the second off Sandy Alcantara (1-2).

The Cubs scored 4 runs in the third sparked by a 2-run double by Descalso. Baez and Heyward also had RBI singles in the inning to take a 5-0 lead.

It was Baez's 500th career hit. Baez added a solo home run, his sixth of the season, to right field in the eighth.

Edwards injured:

Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr., who was demoted to Class AAA Iowa on April 6, showed up for Wednesday's I-Cubs doubleheader after an off-day with badly scraped up pitching hand and was placed on the seven-day minor-league injured list.

The team reported that Edwards slipped on stairs and was hurt bracing his fall with the right hand.

Around the horn:

• Infielder David Bote, who seemed to hurt his left side on a swing late in Tuesday's game, said he had no issues with it Wednesday.

"Just an awkward swing," he said. "Nothing the rest of the day and nothing this morning, so all good."

• Left-hander Mike Montgomery (lat strain) pitched 2 scoreless innings in his first minor-league rehab game Wednesday for Class A South Bend, allowing 1 hit and striking out four without a walk.

He's expected to make another rehab start in a few days and stretch to at least 3 innings. The Cubs have yet to project a timeline for his return.

• Left-hander Xavier Cedeno, who missed all of spring training because of a sprained left wrist, is scheduled for his first minor-league rehab appearance today with Class AA Tennessee.