Hermida hits 2 HRs, leads Marlins past Cubs again

The Associated Press

5:57 PM EDT, July 26, 2008

CHICAGO - Jeremy Hermida hit two homers and scored the decisive run on Jorge Cantu's 12th-inning double to lead the Florida Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! over the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Saturday.

Rich Harden struck out 10 for the third time in three starts with Chicago, but the Marlins fought back to win despite striking out 20 times.

Hermida, who had three hits and two RBIs, has five homers in eight games. A day after delivering a pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning to complete Florida's 3-2 comeback victory, Hermida homered leading off the eighth against Sean Marshall to tie the score at 2.

Hermida then doubled with two outs in the 12th off Chad Gaudin (0-1) and scored on Cantu's double down the left-field line.

Justin Miller (4-2) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings for the win and Kevin Gregg worked a perfect 12th for his 22nd save.

Chicago lost for the just the fourth time - and second in two days - after taking a lead into the seventh.

Aramis Ramirez homered and drove in two runs, but the Cubs never scored after his third-inning solo shot gave them a 2-1 lead.

Chicago has failed to scored more than two runs in four of six games, and the frustration was evident. Cubs manager Lou Piniella and first base coach Matt Sinatro were ejected in the bottom of the ninth for arguing a call at first base.

Mark DeRosa was called out after Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez made a diving stop deep in the hole, then threw out DeRosa for the second out of the ninth. Sinatro was immediately tossed after questioning the call, then Piniella came out of the dugout and was ejected for the second time this year.

Renyel Pinto struck out Geovany Soto to end the ninth and send the game into extra innings.

Five Marlins relievers combined for six scoreless innings.

Chris Volstad, making his third career start, scattered six hits and allowed two runs in six innings. He struck out six and walked two.

The Cubs again failed to support their big midseason acquisition, Harden.

The right-hander earned his third no-decision since being traded from Oakland to Chicago on July 8. He allowed two hits in five innings, becoming the first pitcher in Cubs history to strike out at least 10 in each of his first three starts.

Harden allowed just one run - a third-inning solo shot by Hermida - and left with a 2-1 lead.

Marshall took over in the sixth, pitching two scoreless innings before allowing Hermida's homer in the eighth.

Notes: Florida 2B Dan Uggla snapped an 0-for-19 slump in the fourth with a double. ... Plate umpire Gerry Davis left in the bottom of the second after being hit with a pitch. Davis was struck near the throat by a high fastball from Volstad. Davis walked off the field with Cubs trainers, then was replaced by second base ump Bruce Dreckman after a short delay. ... Dominic DiAngi, the 8-year-old boy whose skull was fractured by Ted Lilly's foul ball on July 10, threw out the first pitch. DiAngi has returned to living a normal life after spending six nights in the hospital, but his mother said he's still having difficulties with his speech and memory. ... Cubs 2B Mike Fontenot was moved up to the fifth spot in the batting order and went 1-for-2 with a walk. ... Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weiss sang ``Take Me Out To The Ball Game'' during the seventh-inning stretch and was booed when he was introduced.