MIA 3, CHC 0: Back-to-Back Blows

Luzardo dazzles, Burdick and Stallings provide the pop as Fish take finale.

Getaway day from Wrigley Field in Chicago saw Cubs fans depart with their heads down, not because of the 55-minute rain delay, but because Sunday was the Jesús Luzardo show.

Making his 20th start since being acquired last July from Oakland, the 24-year-old delivered his best performance as Marlin, authoring 7 innings of 1 hit, no run, 6 strikeout ball in a Marlins 3-0 win. In 12 innings over 2 starts since returning from IL, Luzardo has a 1.50 ERA against just 1 walk and 11 strikeouts.

“Jesús’s got really good stuff. You know, when he’s out there pitching, guys aren’t going to put up a lot of hits against him,” said manager Don Mattingly.

Among the firsts that the Marlins witnessed Sunday, one came off the bat of Peyton Burdick, who hit his first career home run Sunday, extending Miami’s lead to 3-0, one they would not relinquish.

“Trusting myself and trusting everything I’ve worked on in AAA this year, I’m starting to feel like myself again,” said Burdick to Bally’s Craig Minervini.

Burdick’s home run came mere seconds after Jacob Stallings delivered a two-run blast of his own to put Miami out in front in the 5th. In his last 13 games dating back to July 23rd, Stallings has hit .371 (13-35).

Looking Ahead

With no game slatted for Monday, Miami will use the scheduled off day to catch up on R&R before beginning a three-game series in Philadelphia against a surging Phillies team. The Marlins will have their work cut out for them Tuesday as they are set to face last year’s NL Cy Young-runner up, Zack Wheeler (10-5, 2.69 ERA). Miami will counter with Braxton Garrett (2-5, 3.88) as he looks to help the Fish collect their 50th win of the season.

Of Note

• Sunday marked the first time in those 20 starts, and second time in his career since where Luzardo had completed 7 innings. The left-hander’s only other occurrence of 7 innings came on 09/09/2020.
• With a 3-hit day in the win, Charles LeBlanc became the 8th player in franchise history to collect 12 or more hits in their first 8 games with the team. Of those 8, only LeBlanc and Marcell Ozuna, who had 13 hits in 8 games from 04/30-05/07/13, are the only Marlins to do it to start their big league careers.