Fish Wrap: Marlins 1, Cubs 5

The first sweep of the season had to come sometime. And since the Marlins couldn't capitalize on any of the twelve runners they had on base Thursday night, the Cubs did the honors, handing Florida its first sweep of 2011 to close the two-game series at Sun Life Stadium.

Comfort yourselves with the fact that it was only a two-game sweep.

A one-out double by Greg Dobbs in the bottom of the fourth was the first hit the Marlins had off of Cubs starter Casey Coleman. As would become the trend through the rest of the game, the Fish left Dobbs on base. They left a total of 12 on base, and were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

The lone run the Marlins mustered was off of reliever Kerry Wood in the eighth. Mike Stanton hit yet another home run--his ninth--to end the shut out.

Volstad went five innings for the Marlins before Edwin pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the fifth. He gave up three runs on four hits, and struck out five.

The Cubs got on the board in the second on Reed Johnson's RBI double that scored Carlos Pena, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

In the top of the fourth, Marlon Byrd's two-run shot made it 3-0.

In the ninth, the Cubs would add two more off of Burke Badenhop. Hop gave up singles to Koyie Hill and Kosuke Fukudome, and Starlin Castro's two-out double drove them both in to give the Cubs a 5-1 lead that they would hold on to.

Apparently the game had dragged on long enough for first base umpire Rob Drake. He obviously had dinner plans that Gaby Sanchez's two-out single interfered with, and with two out in the bottom of the ninth, Drake ended the game by calling Gaby out at first, although he reached the bag a step ahead of the ball. 

Gaby's anger with Drake was justified, but he really shouldn't have wasted any time arguing. His teammates probably would have left him on base anyway.

The Marlins have lost three of their last four, and continue to struggle at home.