MLB Scores: Marlins 9 Cubs 6

**I didn't watch this game and our scheduled re-capper is MIA, but it'll be a cold day in Miami before I let a game pass without a recap**

I wish I had actually been tasked to recap this game because I would've loved detailing the apparent back and forth that occurred here; instead, you get the now familiar bullet points!

• The top of the lineup figured heavily in this one, with Ichiro Suzuki, Martin Prado and Christian Yelich all scoring twice and the big boys behind them doing damage as scripted, Justin Bour and Giancarlo Stanton both driving in three, respectively. John Lackey had been pretty good coming into this game but got hammered for seven runs in four and a third's innings this outing. Back to the big dogs. Stanton is up to a .219 average after this game and continues his recent positive progression. Justin Bour continues his torrid June, coming into tonight hitting .327/.400/.612 in the month of June and now has five homeruns to go along with 17 RBIs as we near the end of it. The Marlins offense is humming at the right time.

• Paul Clemens got another start and was not great. You don't expect Paul Clemens to be great, though, so it wouldn't surprise you to hear he gave up four runs in five innings of work while walking five and striking out four, giving up a couple of long balls in the process. It's a line you would expect from Justin Nicolino or Jarred Cosart. Basically what I'm saying is that the Marlins are continuing to look at options for this spot in the rotation. Clemens did pick up his first win since 2013 (thanks to the Marlins offense) and I suppose holding the vaunted Cubs offense to only four runs could be construed by some as a #minorvictory.

• Ichiro! had a hit in the fifth. Well, it was more like an error with a dash of generous home scoring. John Lackey seemed particularly sour about it during his end of game comments as the "hit" marked the beginning of the end for him, but whatever you want to call it, Ichiro! is a mere 15 hits away from 3,000. Blink and he'll be there.

• While Nick Wittgren and Kyle Barraclough held things down for their innings, Dustin McGowan looked (judging by the box score) to be shaky in the eighth, getting bailed out trouble by a double play. In the ninth, he coughed up a run via a Willson Contreras double and forced A.J. Ramos to come in for an abbreviated save. Ramos converted so he now holds the club record for consecutive saves alongside former Marlins closer/current Mariners closer Steve Cishek.

With the Nationals falling back down to Earth, the 40-35 Marlins find themselves a mere 3 games back in the NL East.

Oh yeah, and it's José Day with a chance to take three of four from the consensus best team in baseball.

Go Fish.

Source: FanGraphs

Attendance: 29,457

Hero of the game: Justin Bour (.292)

Flounder of the game: John Lackey (-.466)

Play of the game: Addison Russell homerun in the third (.292 whaaaaaaat naaaaaaaaaa) Justin Bour homerun in the fourth (.192)