Cubs Rebound Nicely, Beat Marlins 5-3 to Split Doubleheader

With Bellinger's bat starting to heat up, it comes at the perfect time with the loss of Seiya Suzuki in the lineup.

Shota Imanaga would settle in rather nicely. The only hiccup for the left-hander would occur in the fourth inning, courtesy of a pair of run-scoring hits by Tim Anderson and Jazz Chisholm. 

The Marlins would add another run to their score in the 6th inning to make it a 3-1 ballgame with Imanaga out of the game. It wouldn't end up mattering after a four-run bottom half of the inning by the Cubs. 

The inning would begin off of a solo shot by Alexander Canario. With Suzuki down, the 23-year-old outfielder is looking to find himself with some consistent playing time. If his bat can continue to look this way, then the sky is the limit.

The scoring would continue thanks to the efforts of back-to-back singles by Michael Busch and Garrett Cooper. Both players have been bright spots for the Cubs on offense. Busch specifically has been nothing short of special since joining the team.

Pitching Positives

After Imanaga provided another solid day on the mound, it was rookie Ben Brown once again with the dominant day on the mound. The 24-year-old would strike out three and give up no walks in two innings of work. 

Whether it has been in the rotation or in the bullpen, Brown has been able to answer the call when the Cubs need him most. 

Since Adbert Alzolay blew his fourth save of the season earlier on Saturday, it stands to question who exactly Craig Counsell would have taken over with a two-run lead in the ninth. Hector Neris would answer the call. 

With only one runner on base, Neris would effectively finish the game with a strikeout to Nick Gordon that would end it. 

All the Cubs need is for someone to step up and effectively close games. If this is a sign of things to come, veteran Hector Neris has shown in the past he has been able to close before.

What's On Tap Next

The Cubs will turn the ball over to struggling starter Kyle Hendricks on Sunday as they look to win the series against starter Edward Cabrera and the Marlins. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 pm CDT.