Alec Mills gives the Chicago Cubs 5 shutout innings in a 2-0 win in the series finale against the Miami Marlins
CHICAGO — Alec Mills shined in just his third start, striking out three and pitching five shutout innings during the Chicago Cubs’ 2-0 win in the series finale against the Miami Marlins on Sunday at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs showed that for once they didn’t need the long ball, scoring the first of their two runs without so much as a hit.
Jason Heyward led off the third inning with a walk, moved to third on Joc Pederson’s fielder’s choice and scored on Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro’s passed ball.
In the fifth inning, Patrick Wisdom worked a 3-2 count and 15-pitch at bat before singling on a hard-hit one-hopper that gave shortstop Miguel Rojas trouble. It tied Jon Jay’s single off Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff on Sept. 22, 2017, for the longest Cubs at-bat to end with a hit since at least 1988.
Jake Marisnick, pinch-hitting for Mills, moved Wisdom to second, and Joc Pederson singled off reliever Ross Detwiler to plate Wisdom.
The Cubs will take any level of success piecing together the runs, but the story of the afternoon was Mills.
Mainly a long reliever earlier this season, Mills threw 49 strikes on 77 pitches and no walks.
The highlight came in the third inning, with Marlins on first and second at Adam Duvall at the plate — the same Duvall who terrorized the Cubs for four home runs and 10 RBIs over the previous two games.
Mills fought through a 3-2 count against and struck Duvall out on a foul tip.
After Mills left, the bullpen coasted through the remaining four innings, allowing no hits and striking out five.
