CHICAGO -- Justin Bour and Christian Yelich homered and the Miami Marlins got six impressive innings from Tom Koehler in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Bour's solo home run in the sixth inning off Cubs starter Jason Hammel snapped a 1-1 tie. That spelled the difference for Koehler (7-4), who allowed five hits and an earned run in his six innings while striking out four and walking one for the Marlins, who have won four straight games.
The Marlins bullpen recorded three scoreless innings to protect the one-run lead. A.J. Ramos pitched the ninth to earn his 13th save in 16 opportunities.
Miami loaded the bases in the eighth inning on a Dee Gordon single and a pair of walks. But the Marlins failed to extend their lead when Cubs reliever Travis Wood struck out J.T. Realmuto.
Despite getting little offensive support, Hammel (5-4) nearly matched Koehler's effectiveness. Hammel, who had posted a 1.54 earned run average over his last five starts at Wrigley Field, retired 14 straight hitters in the middle innings before Bour's winning homer barely cleared the right field fence and dropped into the basket in front of the bleachers.
Hammel allowed only four hits - including the two homers - in seven innings while striking out five and walking one.
Nationals 2, Giants 1
WASHINGTON -- Clint Robinson, a 30-year-old non-roster invitee by Washington in spring training who had just 13 major league at-bats before this season, hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to give the Nationals a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Robinson, playing first base in place of the injured Ryan Zimmerman, is 20 for 69 (.290) with four homers and 12 RBIs in his last 21 games. His homer off right-hander Jake Peavy (0-3) made a winner of left-hander Gio Gonzalez (6-4) who allowed a run and five hits in seven innings.
Sports on 07/04/2015