Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (5/19/25): Marlins 8, Cubs 7 – Marlins Walk It Off
The Cubs traveled to loanDepot Park Monday to kick off a three-game series with the Marlins. Chicago used a big rally to grab the lead in the middle innings, but the home team came back in the final at bat to walk it off.
Miami began the contest with a bang against Ben Brown as Jesús Sánchez and Agustin Ramirez clubbed back-to-back solo homers in the bottom of the 1st. The North Siders answered back against Edward Cabrera in the top of the 4th when Miguel Amaya blasted a three-run home run that just got past the outstretched glove of Kyle Stowers in left to give the road team a 3-2 lead.
Brown was cruising along until hitting major trouble in the bottom of the 5th. Liam Hicks hit a game-tying RBI triple and came in to score the go-ahead tally on a single by Javier Sanoja. Sanchez and Otto Lopez each added run-scoring hits to put the Fish ahead 6-3.
Chicago used a walk and two singles to load the bases with nobody out against reliever Jesus Tinoco in the 6th. Moisés Ballesteros hit a soft chopper to first that the Marlins first baseman couldn’t handle, and it went for an RBI infield single. Amaya then stepped up to the plate and smacked a double to the wall that tied the game.
Ballesteros was initially called safe at the plate with the go-ahead run, but video review reversed the call and he was out. Matt Shaw came up huge in his first game back from Iowa, smoking an opposite-field double to give the Cubs a 7-6 lead.
Chicago hung on to that one-run advantage all the way to the bottom of the 9th inning. Daniel Palencia got the first two outs before a double and a walk put two on with two out. Sanchez, who opened the game with a homer, ended it with a walk-off two-run double and Miami prevailed 8-7. (Box score)
Key Moment
Palencia walked the light-hitting Sanoja in front of Sanchez with two outs in the final frame, which proved very costly.
Why the Cubs Lost
Not a great starting pitching effort and a failure to add insurance runs late put too much pressure on the bullpen.
Stats That Matter
- Brown dominated for three innings in the middle of his outing, but the start and end were a different story: 4.2 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 8 K, 0 BB.
- Shaw appeared to be much more comfortable at the plate and singled in addition to the double.
- Amaya has been huge all season and his offense is really coming around.
- De facto closer Porter Hodge was unavailable Monday with an oblique injury and has been placed on the IL.
Bottom Line
Brown and Palencia have nasty stuff and are going to be very good MLB pitchers, but they are young and there are going to be growing pains. Unfortunately for Chicago, they both had those pains in the same game. These frustrating losses are going to happen over the course of the season; the important thing for the Cubs is not to let it start any kind of a slide. Get after it tomorrow and win that one.
On Deck
Game two of the series is Tuesday night at 5:40pm CT. Jameson Taillon duels with Ryan Weathers in a matchup available on Marquee with radio coverage on 670 The Score.
