The Cubs Seiya Suzuki led a relentless offensive onslaught as the Chicago Cubs throttled the Miami Marlins 14-1 on Tuesday night at LoanDepot Park. The right fielder homered, doubled, and drove in four runs to headline a 21-hit explosion that tied a season high for the Cubs.
Suzuki’s two-run homer highlighted a monster eight-run sixth inning that turned a tight 1-1 game into a rout. He added a two-run double in the ninth as Chicago piled on five more runs against Marlins position player Javier Sanoja.
Kyle Tucker, appearing in just his second game as designated hitter this season, also left the yard with a solo homer in the first — his 11th of the year — to get the Cubs on the board early. Tucker finished 3-for-4 with a walk and two singles.
The Cubs offense came alive late, but it was starter Jameson Taillon (3-3) who laid the foundation. The veteran right-hander delivered seven strong innings, limiting the Marlins to one run on four hits, snapping a personal two-start losing streak. He walked three and struck out two.
Miami briefly evened the score at 1-1 in the third when catcher Nick Fortes homered off Taillon, but that would be the Marlins’ only highlight in an otherwise miserable night.
After Marlins starter Ryan Weathers departed after five solid innings (1 ER, 5 H, 5 K), reliever Calvin Faucher (2-2) unraveled in the sixth. He walked Suzuki to lead off the inning, then surrendered five straight singles — including RBI hits from Dansby Swanson, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Nico Hoerner — without recording an out.
Faucher and fellow reliever Lake Bachar were charged with eight runs combined in the inning, which ended with a Suzuki two-run blast to left that made it 9-1.
The Cubs kept pouring it on in the ninth. Facing infielder Javier Sanoja on the mound, Chicago added five more runs, including Suzuki and Michael Busch’s two-run doubles and an RBI single from Ian Happ, who had just come off the injured list earlier in the day.
Justin Turner (2 singles, 1 double, 1 RBI) and rookie Matt Shaw (1 double, 1 single, 1 RBI) also contributed to the offensive barrage for Chicago, who tallied their 24th multi-run inning (4+ runs) of the season.
The turning point came when Faucher walked Suzuki to open the sixth. The next five Cubs hitters reached with singles, sparking an avalanche that buried the Marlins for good.
The Cubs’ 8-run sixth and 5-run ninth marked the 24th time this season they have scored four or more runs in a single inning — a testament to the team’s explosive potential.
The Cubs will go for the sweep Wednesday night with top prospect Cade Horton (2-0, 6.00 ERA) taking the mound against Marlins right-hander Max Meyer (3-4, 4.47 ERA).
