MIAMI (AP) — Joey Wendle drove in four runs and finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, leading the Miami Marlins to an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.
The 33-year-old Wendle batted ninth in the order, and delivered a homer, double and single to highlight the 13-hit attack of the surging Marlins, who won their sixth straight game. Miami moved ahead of Cincinnati in the race for the NL’s third wild-card spot.
“When you play for an extended period of time, you know you’re capable of much, much better,” said Wendle, who was hitting .220 before Wednesday. “We’re in a playoff race, in the thick of it and to contribute, I’m just really thankful.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jesús Sánchez also went deep for the Marlins, who were unbothered after placing reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara and star slugger Jorge Soler on the injured list earlier in the day. Alcantara is sidelined because of a right forearm strain, while Soler will miss time because of a right oblique strain.
“It shows you what kind of leadership we have in that clubhouse” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “It shows our staff how strong they are as a group. We weren’t gonna let that happen to our group.”
The NL West-leading Dodgers lost for the fifth time in six games. Los Angeles will be without starting pitcher Julio Urías for an indefinite period after MLB placed him on administrative leave Wednesday. Urías was arrested on suspicion of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant late Sunday.
The homers by Wendle, Chisholm and Sánchez against Dodgers starter Lance Lynn keyed a nine-run fifth inning. Luis Arraez also drove in two runs with a double.
Wendle’s second homer of the season — a two-run shot — made it 2-1, and Chisholm connected for a three-run drive before Sánchez added a solo blast. Wendle’s second hit of the inning – an RBI single –increased the lead to 7-1. Arraez’s line drive to left-center capped Miami’s highest scoring inning of the season. The previous high also was against the Dodgers, a six-run third inning on Aug. 18.
In addition to Wendle, catcher Jacob Stallings had two hits in the inning. Stallings hit a leadoff double then reached on a bunt single.
“We were struggling getting on time with Lance’s heater, but Joey just smoked it,” Stallings said. “And we kept it going. It was a fun inning.”
Lynn (10-11) was lifted after 4 2/3 innings. The veteran right-hander allowed eight earned runs and seven hits. He has given up 15 runs and 14 hits over nine innings in his last two outings.
“I thought the stuff from Lance was much better than his last start,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He was in a good little rhythm. Then it seemed like he couldn’t make pitches. Looking back at the replays, there were a lot of pitches over the big part of the plate. Unfortunately, they went out of the ball park.”
Edward Cabrera (6-6) benefitted from the run support and pitched four innings of scoreless relief. He was recalled from the minors earlier in the day after the Alcantara and Soler moves.
“You saw the results of what I was working on in Triple-A,” Cabrera said. “I just want to be here to help the club. It doesn’t matter if I come from the bullpen or start.”
Miami padded its lead on consecutive RBI doubles by Wendle and Yuli Gurriel in the seventh.
Rookie James Outman hit his 18th homer, a two-run shot in the ninth, for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles struck first on Jason Heyward’s solo shot off reliever A.J. Puk in the fourth. Heyward drove Puk’s 3-2 pitch over the wall in right for his 14th homer.
JT Chargois opened the bullpen game for Miami, striking out two in a scoreless first.
ROSTER MOVE
The Marlins recalled OF Dane Myers from Triple-A Jacksonville. The club also selected LHP Devin Smeltzer from Jacksonville and designated RHP Geoff Hartlieb for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: C Austin Barnes passed concussion protocol and could return to the lineup Thursday. Barnes was hit on the head with a backswing from the Marlins’ Nick Fortes during an at-bat Tuesday. ...DH J.D. Martinez (groin) is expected to rejoin the club Friday in Washington.
UP NEXT
RHP Ryan Pepiot (1-0, 1.29) is scheduled to start the series finale for the Dodgers on Thursday. Pepiot takes Uría’s turn on the rotation. LHP Braxton Garrett (8-5, 3.86) will start for the Marlins.
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