John Baker delivers go-ahead RBI single in 8th to help Marlins beat Cubs 5-2

Baker breaks tie in 8th; Marlins beat Cubs 5-2

MIAMI — John Baker drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the eighth inning, and the Florida Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Friday night.

Pinch-hitter Wes Helms followed Baker with a two-run double.

Chris Volstad and three relievers combined on a seven-hitter against the Cubs, who had scored 12 runs in each of the past two games.

The Marlins have won eight of their last 10 games to surge into NL wild-card contention and were buoyed by the addition of Washington first baseman Nick Johnson minutes before Friday’s trade deadline. He’s expected to be in the lineup Saturday.

The score was 2-all when Carlos Marmol (2-2) came into the game in the eighth with a scoreless streak of 8 1-3 innings, but he walked the first two batters. Dan Uggla scored from second on Baker’s hit, and Helms doubled to hike his average as a pinch-hitter to .387.

Florida won despite striking out 13 times, stranding nine runners and committing an error for the first time in nine games.

Brendan Donnelly (1-0) retired two batters in the eighth for his first NL victory, and Leo Nunez pitched a hitless ninth for his ninth save in 12 chances.

Volstad retired the first 12 batters and took a shutout into the seventh, but Jake Fox’s two-out, two-run homer tied the score at 2-all.

The hit brought a roar from the crowd of 25,024, with many of the fans clad in Cubs blue. It was the 22nd homer allowed by Volstad, who went 6 2-3 innings.

Florida took a 1-0 lead in the second. Jeremy Hermida led off with a single and scored on Volstad’s two-out double — the pitcher’s first career RBI and extra-base hit. Jorge Cantu hit a two-out homer in the third, his 11th.

Cubs starter Rich Harden tied a career high with 11 strikeouts but departed for a pinch hitter after five innings trailing 2-0.

John Grabow made his Cubs debut by pitching a hitless sixth.

Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the NL batting leader, singled and struck out three times in four at-bats.

NOTES: Newly acquired LHP Tom Gorzelanny will join the Cubs on Saturday and is scheduled to make his first start for them Tuesday at Cincinnati. … Before the game, the Cubs recalled OF Sam Fuld from Triple-A Iowa, and RHP Mitch Atkins was optioned to Iowa. … Kosuke Fukudome went 0 for 3 against Volstad but made the right-hander throw 24 pitches. … Florida CF Cody Ross robbed Mike Fontenot in the third inning with an over-the-shoulder running catch one step from the wall. … Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano, who is 0 for 9 against Volstad, was given the night off.