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Astros rally against Marmol, beat Cubs

Jun 1, 2011 - 3:22 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Hunter Pence belted a three-run homer to cap a six-run ninth inning against Cubs closer Carlos Marmol, as the Houston Astros rallied for a 7-3 victory at Wrigley Field.

Pence went 3-for-5 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Pinch-hitter Matt Downs hit the tying two-run double and Michael Bourn gave the Astros the lead with an RBI single. Brett Wallace belted a solo homer for Houston, which goes for the three-game sweep Wednesday afternoon.

Marmol boasted a 0.43 ERA over his previous 20 appearances going into Tuesday's game against the Astros and had tossed 13 1/3 scoreless innings in his last 13 outings. That all blew up in the ninth inning when he gave up his most runs ever out of the Cubs bullpen.

The Cubs were being blanked by 20-year-old Jordan Lyles, who was making his major league debut, until scoring three times in the eighth inning.

Carlos Zambrano fanned seven batters over eight frames and was in line for the win thanks to the sudden rally, but Marmol (1-2), who gave up five hits, suffered his third blown save of the year.

"You have those days and no one feels worse than Marm," Cubs manager Mike Quade said. "He'll be back out there tomorrow to save a game for us, given the same opportunity. Too bad he had a rough night tonight."

Aramis Ramirez went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI for Chicago, which has lost four of five.

Lyles allowed five hits, two runs and fanned four before giving way to Sergio Escalona in the eighth. Lyles became the youngest player in Astros franchise history to make his debut since Cesar Cedeno did so on June 20, 1970, at 19 years and 150 days old.

"That's one of his biggest assets, he's mature beyond his years," Astros manager Brad Mills said. "He had mound presence beyond his years. It was very significant how we went about it and did everything."

Fernando Rodriguez (1-0) picked up his first major league victory.

Wallace's lead-off homer in the fourth stood as the lone run of the game until Lyles gave up the first two hits of the eighth. Geovany Soto doubled and was lifted for pinch-runner Brad Snyder. He was going to third on pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin's tapper in front of the plate. Lyles threw quickly to third, but the ball sailed down the left field line, as Snyder scored.

Escalona retired Kosuke Fukudome on a sacrifice bunt, but Wilton Lopez then gave up Darwin Barney's go-ahead RBI double off the ivy in left-center field. Carlos Pena was intentionally walked with two outs to set up a Ramirez RBI double down the left field line.

Wallace singled and Chris Johnson doubled tight to the line in right to begin the ninth. Downs then doubled to left field to tie the game. Pinch-hitter Angel Sanchez put down a sacrifice bunt, and Bourn singled over the head of a leap Starlin Castro at shortstop to put Houston in front.

Bourn then stole second and Clint Barmes walked in front of Pence's eighth homer of the season and 100th of his career, a shot over the wall in left.

The Cubs, who stranded a runner at third in the second and fifth, went down quietly in the ninth as Mark Melancon finished up on the mound for the Astros.

Game Notes

The Cubs fell a season-worst seven games under .500 (23-30)...Lyles was 20 years, 224 days old, and was the youngest player to make his major league debut as a starting pitcher at Wrigley Field since Zambrano made his debut, August 20, 2001 vs. Milwaukee. Zambrano was 20 years, 80 days old at the time. Zambrano, who pitched on day prior to his 30th birthday, remained unbeaten over his last seven home starts against Houston...It was the first time Marmol gave up a homer to a right-handed hitter since September 6, 2008.