Chicago Cubs turn on the power in rout of Marlins
The Chicago Cubs needed a pick-me-up in the worst way Monday night. Kyle Hendricks and the offense provided that in the best way.
Right after the Cubs placed Yu Darvish - Tuesday night's scheduled starting pitcher - on the 10-day disabled list with a flu-like illness - Hendricks went out and tossed 8 innings as the Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 14-2 to snap a five-game losing streak.
The Cubs (17-15) got a pair of home runs from Ian Happ and 1 each from Kris Bryant and Javier Baez.
The quality start by Hendricks was the first for the Cubs since Hendricks turned one in on May 1 against the Colorado Rockies. He gave up 6 hits and 2 runs while walking none and striking out three. It came one night after the Cubs lost in 14 innings at St. Louis.
"It's hard to really have that (going 8 innings) as your goal going out there, but just make good pitches, see what happens," said Hendricks, who improved to 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA. "Luckily it worked out."
The Cubs will make a roster move before Tuesday's game, and Jen-Ho Tseng may be called up from Class AAA Iowa to fill Darvish's spot. Tseng appeared in two games for the Cubs last year, starting one.
Darvish's DL move is retroactive to May 4, meaning he can pitch next Monday's makeup game against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs got going right away against Marlins lefty Jarlin Garcia. Ben Zobrist walked with one out in the first and rode home on Bryant's fifth home run of the season.
Baez hit a 3-run homer to center field in the third. The switch-hitting Happ hit a 2-run homer to center in the fourth batting right-handed. He connected left-handed in the seventh for an opposite-field 3-run homer to left.
Happ became the first Cub to homer from both sides of the plate since Dioner Navarro on May 29, 2013, against the White Sox.
"Fun night," said Happ, who has 5 homers. "Put together a couple of good ABs there, a couple bad ones, but just try to build off those good ones."
Baez left the game in the top of the seventh inning with right-groin tightness.
Cubs call up a reliever:
To shore up their bullpen, the Cubs called up right-hander Cory Mazzoni from Iowa and optioned Luke Farrell to Iowa. Mazzoni, 28, was 0-2 with a 2.31 ERA in 8 relief appearances for Iowa this season. He has pitched in the big leagues with the San Diego Padres. He came in to pitch the ninth inning in relief of Kyle Hendricks.
"We had to do something there," manager Joe Maddon said. "I know Luke's had a couple tough days, but I really like this guy. I like his stuff. I think he's got a really bright future. Mazzoni's a guy we liked in spring training, also."
Farrell went 1-2 with a 7.94 ERA in 6 relief appearances with the Cubs.