Marlins, Padres Advance In NL Playoffs

UNDATED (AP) – The Miami Marlins don’t make a lot of trips to the postseason, but they are winners once they get there.
The Marlins won their first playoff series in 17 years by completing a two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs, 2-0 in the NL Wild Card Series. That leaves Miami 7-for-7 all time in postseason series, having won the Fall Classic in 1997 and 2003. The game was scoreless until Garrett Cooper homered off Yu Darvish in a two-run seventh. Magneuris Sierra added an RBI single to chase Darvish, who allowed just five hits over 6 2/3 innings.  Brad Boxberger threw 1 1/3 innings to get the win in relief of hard-throwing rookie Sixto Sanchez, who limited the Cubs to four hits over five innings. Chicago collected nine hits and scored just one run in the series. Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo combined to go 0 for 12 Friday and finished the series 1 for 24.  The outcome puts the Marlins in the NL Division Series against the Braves in Houston. Meanwhile, the Padres are in the NL Division Series following a 4-0 shutout of the Cardinals. San Diego went the bullpen route to close out the Wild Card Series as nine pitchers combined on a four-hitter in the Padres’ second straight win. Eric Hosmer broke a scoreless tie in the fifth with an RBI double off losing pitcher Jack Flaherty, who allowed six hits while striking out eight over six innings. Jake Cronenworth added an eighth-inning solo homer for the Padres, who will take on the Dodgers in the next round.