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Homer by Hermida lifts Marlins over Cubs

Jul 25, 2008 - 11:13 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Florida Marlins spoiled Jeff Samardzija's major league debut, then continued their recent dominance of the Chicago Cubs.

Pinch hitter Jeremy Hermida led off the ninth inning with a long home run Friday, lifting the Marlins to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs.

Hermida's blast off Bobby Howry (3-4), which snapped a 2-2 tie, landed on Sheffield Avenue beyond the right field bleachers at Wrigley Field. The homer gave Florida its 11th win in the last 12 meetings with Chicago.

"It is fun since I haven't had many pinch hits," Hermida said. "It's nice to come up and help the team get a win in that situation."

"I told Jeremy before the game not to think anything of (not starting), but be ready to play the game today, and obviously, he was," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

The Cubs snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Marlins on Thursday and looked for two in a row behind Ryan Dempster, who has lost at home only once this season.

Dempster allowed only two hits but endured control problems, walking a season-high six. He was lifted after six innings, throwing just 68 of his 110 pitches for strikes.

"It won't be all roses every time you go out there, and today, it was a battle," Dempster said. "I was trying to make pitches and just fight my way through a few situations."

Prior to the game, the Cubs recalled Samardzija from Class AAA Iowa, and manager Lou Piniella said he would use the former star wide receiver at Notre Dame right away.

Piniella was a man of his word, as Samardzija replaced Dempster in the seventh with the Cubs holding a 2-1 lead. He appeared to be battling nerves as his second pitch was in the dirt, and then he threw the ball over the head of catcher Geovanny Soto on a pitchout after giving up a one-out single to Hanley Ramirez.

Samardzija was one pitch away from getting out of the seventh, but Jorge Cantu ripped a 2-2 offering into the left-field corner for a game-tying double. Prior to the at-bat, Cantu was hitting .410 with two outs and runners in scoring position.

"The people were standing up and cheering, and I loved it," Samardzija said. "You couldn't ask for anything more. If I would have made a couple of pitches, though, it would be a different story."

Justin Miller (3-2) got the final two outs in the bottom of the eighth to record the win. Kevin Gregg, Florida's sixth pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save.

The Marlins got a solid outing from starter Josh Johnson, who allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in his third straight since being activated from the disabled list. He gave up solo homers by Soto in the second and Reed Johnson in the fifth.

"I know Dempster is tough here, so I had to throw the ball well enough to keep us in the game," Josh Johnson said. "The big thing for me this year is to limit walks, and if the other team scores, try and limit it to one run."

Samardzija settled down to pitch a perfect eighth, but the Cubs failed to take advantage of numerous opportunities.

"I am looking for people that can hit, that is what I am looking for," Piniella said. "We are going to put the best team we can out there that can put runs on the board."

In the fifth, Alfonso Soriano was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Josh Willingham while trying to score on Ryan Theriot's single. The following inning, pinch hitter Daryle Ward, batting for Dempster, struck out to leave the bases loaded.

After stranding two runners in the seventh, the Cubs threatened again in the eighth as a double by pinch hitter Jim Edmonds put runners on second and third. But Miller preserved the tie by getting Soriano to pop up.