Miami Marlins: Wei-Yin Chen Meltdown Costly

Miami Marlins starter Wei-Yin Chen turned in another disappointing performance on Wednesday.

Chen gave up eight runs—including two home runs—in the third inning in a 13-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Chen, who made his third start of the year after coming off the DL, gave up nine runs on seven hits over three innings. Though he survived the first two innings with one earned run—a solo shot by rightfielder Kris Bryant—the 32-year-old lefty fell apart in the third.

Shortstop Addison Russell hit a lead-off double to left field. Then Chen walked the third batter of the inning, centerfielder Albert Almora. Bryant knocked in an RBI double. Second baseman Javier Baez drove in another run with a single. And first baseman Anthony Rizzo added three more with a home run to right center field.

But the Cubs weren’t done.

Third baseman David Bote‘s sacrifice fly drove in catcher Willson Contreras. Then Russell sent a two-run blast into the bleachers in left center field. It was the shortstop’s second at-bat of the inning.

Chen left after the third inning. The loss took him to 1-2 on the season with a 10.22 ERA.

It wasn’t all bad..

The Marlins, however, got a run back in the fourth with an RBI groundout by first baseman Justin Bour. In the seventh inning, shortstop Miguel Rojas hit a two-run shot to left center field. It was Rojas’ fifth round-tripper of the season. Catcher Bryan Holaday added a solo home run in the ninth, but it was not nearly enough. The Cubs cruised to a 13-4 win, sweeping the three-game series.

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Chen, who signed a five-year, $80 million deal with Miami before the 2016 season, has not quite been the ace that the Marlins had expected. On Saturday, he gave up four runs on five hits with four walks over four innings against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Marlins came into the series against the Cubs having won four consecutive series and eight of their past 11 games. The Northsiders were dominant, though, outscoring Miami 31-9 over three games.

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