Marlins Lose Opener To Cubs

     The Miami Marlins played their season opener against the Chicago Cubs at Marlins Park on Thursday and were defeated 8-4. It was the first game the club played under the new ownership group of Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter.
     The Marlins wore a patch on their jerseys to celebrate the 25th year of playing in Major League Baseball. Both the Cubs and Marlins wore a MSD patch on their uniforms in memory of the recent tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
     The first pitch of the game Marlins starting pitcher Jose Urena threw was smashed by Ian Happ over the right-field wall for a solo home run to give Chicago(1-0) a 1-0 lead. The Cubs were able to load the bases with two outs. Jason Heyward walked for Kris Bryant to score. Javier Baez then was hit by a pitch and Parkland native Anthony Rizzo scored from third.
     Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester got the first two batters out in the bottom of the first, but Miami(0-1) mounted a rally. Newcomer Starlin Castro reached base on a ground ball to short and went to second on a fielding error. After Justin Bour walked, Castro scored on a single by Brian Anderson into right-center field.
     The Cubbies added another run in the second inning to make it 4-1. Rizzo belted a solo homer into the right-field upper deck on a 0-0 pitch.
     The Marlins chalked up three runs to tie the contest 4-4 in the bottom of the third inning. Derek Dietrich led off with a triple into deep left field. Following a walk by Castro, Justin Bour grounded out softly to third which brought in Dietrich. Anderson then singled to left-center field, which scored Castro, and the ball went by Kyle Schwarber to the fence. Garrett Cooper knocked in Anderson from third with a base hit up the middle of the diamond to even up the game.
     In the fourth inning, Chicago regained the lead 5-4. Kris Bryant connected with a one-out double to left field and later scored on a double by Wilson Contreras into left field.
     The Cubs broke the game open in the top of the seventh with three runs. Schwarber lifted a 3-1 pitch over the right-center field fence for a home run with one out. Addison Russell singled to shallow center field and Heyward reached base on catcher's interference. Both crossed the plate when pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella doubled into the right-center field gap.