7/17 Marmol walks 5 in 2/3 inning

When Carlos Marmol walked five batters in two-thirds of an inning Saturday, he became the first Cubs reliever to walk that many in one inning since Johnny Vander Meer walked five of the 10 batters he faced in one inning at Philadelphia on July 27, 1950.

“Things happen,” second baseman Ryan Theriot said of Marmol. “You can’t be perfect all year. Carlos has been lights out for us and he’ll continue to be lights out for us. I fully anticipate him to be out there closing games for us.”

The last time a Cubs pitcher walked at least five batters in an outing of less than
one inning was June 11, 1920, when Speed Martin walked five of the seven batters he faced in two-thirds of an inning at Philadelphia. Martin started that game and failed to get out of the first inning.

“That was my responsibility,” Marmol said after the game. “When I walked those two guys, that’s on me.”

– Carrie Muskat