Cubs-Marlins highlights: Cubs eliminated from playoffs after 2-0 loss

Final score: Marlins 2, Cubs 0

The Cubs never could find a solution for their offensive woes and were eliminated from the playoffs by the Miami Marlins. The Marlins won 2-0 on Friday to sweep the series. The Cubs scored only one run in the two games.

Ninth inning

Marlins 2, Cubs 0: Brandon Kintzler comes in to pitch for Miami. Jason Heyward leads off with a double. Javier Baez strikes out. David Bote strikes out. Jason Kipnis strikes out to end the game.

Marlins 2, Cubs 0: The Cubs are down to their final three outs heading into the bottom of the ninth. Cubs reliever Jeremy Jeffress pitched the ninth. Garrett Cooper led off the inning with a groundout. Lewis Brinson grounds out and Miguel Rojas grounds out to end the inning.

Eighth inning

Marlins 2, Cubs 0: The Cubs’ fortunes are looking dim after going 1-2-3 in the eighth inning. Yimi Garcia comes in to pitch for the Marlins. Anthony Rizzo pops out to lead off. Willson Contreras is hit by a pitch. Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant both fly out to center. Marlins 2, Cubs 0: The Cubs lose the designated hitter spot when Willson Contreras moves from DH to catcher. The Marlins make some noise, but are unable to add to their lead. Corey Dickerson gets a lead-off walk in an 11-pitch at-bat and Monte Harrison pinch runs for Dickerson. Harrison then steals second base. Jon Berti draws a walk, but Jesus Aguilar then grounds into a double play, advancing Harrison to third. Brian Anderson strikes out to end the inning.

The Marlins are 20-0 in the playoffs when leading by at least two runs, according to ESPN.

Seventh inning

Marlins 2, Cubs 0: The Cubs are running out of time to find some runs. The Marlins’ Lewis Brinson remains in the game as a right fielder. David Bote flies out to right. Miami brings in Richard Bleier to relieve Brad Boxberger. Cameron Maybin hits a hard liner to pitcher Bleier, who knocks it down and throws out Maybin at first. Ian Happ grounds out to end the inning.

Marlins 2, Cubs 0: The Marlins finally break through when Garrett Cooper homers to left with two out. Matt Joyce followed up with a double. Lewis Brinson comes in as a pinch-runner. Miguel Rojas is intentionally walked. Magneuris Sierra singles, scoring Brinson and moving Rojas to third. Craig Kimbrel comes in to relieve Yu Darvish. Chad Wallach strikes out to end the inning.

Sixth inning

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: New pitcher, same results. The Marlins bring in reliever Brad Boxberger, who retires Kris Bryant, Jason Heyward and Javy Baez.

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Neither team’s offense can get anything going. Chad Wallach flies out to center field. Corey Dickerson grounds out. Jon Berti pops out to second to end the inning.

Fifth inning

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: The Cubs get the bases loaded, but are unable to score. David Bote flies out to right. Victor Caratini singles to left. Ian Happ singles to left field, moving Caratini to second. Anthony Rizzo strikes out. Willson Contreras is hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kyle Scwarber flies out to end the inning.

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Matt Joyce lines out to right field. Miguel Rojas doubles on a line drive to left, but the Cubs successfully appeal the tag and Rojas is called out. Magneuris Sierra strikes out to end the inning.

Fourth inning

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Sixto Sanchez looks shaky in this inning, but the Cubs can’t take advantage. Willson Contreras walks in a nine-pitch at-bat and Kyle Schwarber walks on seven-pitch at-bat. Kris Bryant then lines out to second base. Jason Heyward singles to right, but Contreras is thrown out at the plate. Javy Baez flies out to right to end the inning.

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: The Marlins threaten to score with Jon Berti leading off with a single and Jesus Aguilar getting hit by a pitch. But Brian Anderson grounds into a double play, moving Berti to third, and Garrett Cooper strikes out. Yu Darvish escapes without allowing a run.

Third inning

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Ian Happ singles to get the first hit of the game, but otherwise the Cubs offense remains quiet.

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Yu Darvish needs only seven pitches to get through the inning. Magneuris Sierra lines out to center, Chad Wallach grounds out, and Corey Dickerson strikes out.

Second inning

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: The Cubs offense has yet to make an appearance: Kyle Schwarber strikes out, Kris Bryant grounds out, Jason Heyward is hit by a pitch, and Javy Baez strikes out.

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Yu Darvish allows a two-out walk to Matt Joyce, but otherwise the Marlins can’t generate anything.

First inning

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Marlins starter Sixto Sanchez puts down the Cubs 1-2-3.

Cubs 0, Marlins 0: Yu Darvish easily dismisses Corey Dickerson, Jon Berti and Jesus Aguilar to start the game.

Before the game

The Cubs’ return to the playoffs is on the verge of ending early after Wednesday afternoon’s 5-1 loss to the Miami Marlins in Game 1 of the National League wild card round. A Marlins win on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field will end the coronavirus-shortened season for the Cubs. Fear of bad weather Thursday prompted Major League Baseball to postpone Game 2 and play Friday instead.

Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara kept the Cubs’ bats quiet for 6 2/3 innings Wednesday, allowing one run and three hits.

The only run the Cubs scored came on a home run by center fielder Ian Happ in the fifth.

Yu Darvish will start for the Cubs on Friday. Right-handed starter Sixto Sanchez is going for the Marlins.

Cubs players are confident they will bounce back.

“We’ve shown that we can rise to that occasion, collectively,” right fielder Jason Heyward said before Thursday’s weather postponement. “I think we just need to continue to try and keep pushing and give ourselves a chance to play more baseball.

“Throughout the whole year, we’ve obviously done enough in our division, a very tough division. . . . We’re gonna do our best to come out here and win. . . . But for me, it’s [that] we’ve got to keep playing more baseball, we’ve got to continue to relax. The way you settle in is, you get more opportunities.”

Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.