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Rizzo lifts Cubs over Marlins in 13

Chicago,  IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Rizzo launched a game-winning, two-run  homer in the  bottom of the 13th inning to send the Chicago Cubs to a 5-3 victory  over  the Miami Marlins  in the opener of  a three-game set Friday at Wrigley Field.

After  striking out  the final  two hitters  in the  12th, Kevin  Slowey (1-1) returned  to the mound  for the 13th, but served up a leadoff single to Junior Lake before Rizzo scorched a first-pitch curveball over the wall in right.

"I  had  a pretty good idea  that Rizzo was  going to be aggressive and wasn't able  to get the ball where I needed to get it and he put a good swing on it," Slowey said of giving up Rizzo's game-winning homer.

Rizzo  finished  with four RBI, while  Chris Coghlan collected two hits and an RBI for the Cubs, who have won a season-high four straight games.

"They're  playing with  a  lot of  confidence right  now," Cubs manager  Rick Renteria  said of his club. "I think they're continuing to pick each other up. I think they're starting to feel and know that they can do this."

Carlos  Villanueva  (2-5) picked up the  victory after striking out three over two flawless innings of relief work.

Garrett Jones smacked three hits and scored once, while Reed Johnson stroked a two-run,  pinch-hit single  to tie the game  in the ninth for the Marlins, who had a four-game win streak halted.

Both  starters  performed well  despite  not  factoring  in the  decision,  as Chicago's  Jason  Hammel struck out  eight over seven scoreless innings, while Miami's Nathan Eovaldi retired the first 14 hitters he faced in order.

Nate  Schierholtz ended  Eovaldi's bid at a perfect game with a two-out single to center in the fifth and Coghlan followed with an RBI double to right to get the Cubs on the board.

Chicago  added  a pair  of key  insurance runs in  the eighth, as pinch-hitter Justin  Ruggiano  ripped a  one-out double before  Emilio Bonifacio smacked an infield single off the glove of Eovaldi.

After  Lake's fielder's  choice groundout left runners on the corners with two away, Rizzo ripped a double to left, clearing the bases for a 3-0 lead.

Miami  rallied  against Chicago closer Hector  Rondon in the ninth after Casey McGehee  and  Jones  started  the  frame  with  back-to-back  singles.  Rondon responded by striking out Marcell Ozuna, but Adeiny Hechavarria got a fly ball to drop in shallow right field to load the bases.

Pinch-hitter  Jeff  Bour followed with  a bouncer  to first baseman Rizzo, who flipped  to Rondon  covering the  bag. Bour  was originally  ruled safe  after Rondon's  foot appeared to slip off the bag before he caught the toss, but the Cubs challenged the ruling and the call was overturned following video review.

Johnson,  hitting in place of reliever Bryan Morris, then ripped Rondon's next offering into right-center field to plate both runners and tie the game.

Miami  had a chance to end it in the 11th after Ozuna singled, moved to second on  a  bunt, and  found third  on a  groundout, but  Brian Schlitter induced a groundout from pinch-hitter Jeff Baker to keep the contest tied.

                                   Game Notes

Schierholtz's single in the fifth was his 500th career hit ... Chicago has won seven  of  its last  eight home  games ... The Cubs improved  to 2-6 in extra innings  this season, while Miami dropped to 3-4 ... The Marlins went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base ... Eovaldi allowed three  runs on  six hits with eight  strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings ... Chicago
came into the game 22-2 when leading entering the ninth inning this season.

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