Max Meyer has his first quality start since April, but Cubs scratch out a 2-1 victory

Marlins right-hander Max Meyer usually doesn’t hesitate to shake off a pitch sign from rookie catcher Agustín Ramírez, but he took a different approach in Wednesday’s start against the Cubs.

“Whatever Ramirez was throwing down, I was saying yes to,” Meyer said. “I see he’s been putting in the work on the hitters, so I wanted to trust him. I thought he called a really good game, and the defense was playing really good behind me.”

The result was Meyer’s best start in a month. Meyer recorded his first quality start since April 21, allowing one run and five hits in six innings in the Marlins’ 2-1 loss at loanDepot park. He struck out four, walked one and threw 62 of 99 pitches for strikes.

After Kyle Tucker smacked a solo home run to right field in the first inning for the second consecutive day, Meyer struck out three of the next four batters he faced and appeared to operate with ease all afternoon.

“Max utilized his full arsenal really well,” said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. “He was able to stick some fastballs in there at various times when maybe they were looking for the slider, which we all know is a really great pitch for him, and also used his changeup today.

“Outside of the Tucker home run, six really strong innings. He looked in control, he was pounding the strike zone, making a lot of high-quality pitches. I loved how he was able to utilize his entire mix today.”

Meyer, who threw six scoreless innings April 21 against the Reds, had allowed 18 earned runs in his past four starts combined.

“I didn’t throw as many sliders [Wednesday] as I usually do,” Meyer said. “I was throwing more fastballs, and it ended up working out.

“Obviously, I throw a lot of sliders and that hasn’t been working the last couple of outings, so just giving a team a different look,” he added. “I’m going to keep adjusting to other teams adjusting to me. Kind of like a chess game.”

Meyer said not shaking off Ramírez’s signs is “kind of refreshing” because it “forces me to have confidence in the pitches.”

Said Meyer: “I want to throw a slider [on a] 3-2 [count], but he’s calling sinkers, he’s calling changeups, he’s calling four seams, and I just have to get on them.”

Like Meyer, Cubs starter Cade Horton was also effective. He threw 5 1/3 innings. For the second consecutive day, the Marlins totaled just six hits. Half of those came in the first inning, when they scored their lone run on Connor Norby’s infield single with the bases loaded.

“The first few innings, we had some opportunities,” McCullough said. “Nico [Hoerner] made a good [defensive] play on [Matt] Mervis early that could have led to a few runs, we got a double play, first and second, nobody out… we were able to get some guys in scoring position and weren’t able to cash them in and then got to the middle part [of the game] and their guys in the ‘pen did a good job holding us down. We gave ourselves chances early and just didn’t capitalize.”

The Cubs scored the go-ahead run in the eighth. Matt Shaw led off with a walk against reliever Anthony Bender and stole second. Then with one out, Tucker singled to left. Shaw scored on Kyle Stowers’ fielding error.

“Potential go-ahead run at second and you’re coming in trying to make a play — just didn’t come up with it,” McCullough said. “Maybe a little too quick with the transfer. But you saw he came back an inning later and made a really strong throw to home plate.”

In the ninth, Stowers cleanly fielded Miguel Amaya’s single and fired an accurate 98.1-mph throw to Ramírez — his fastest of the season — to nab the runner several feet short of the plate.

▪ Otto Lopez started at shortstop with Javier Sanoja getting the day off. Graham Pauley took Lopez’s spot at second base, making his first career start there.

▪ Right-handed reliever Ronny Henriquez, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts, has not allowed an earned run in nine consecutive appearances (9 1/3 innings).

▪ After a day off Thursday, the Marlins will start a three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim on Friday and then play three games against the Padres in San Diego before flying home.

▪ Liam Hicks pinch hit for Matt Mervis in the ninth and flied out to deep center.

Max Meyer has his first quality start since April, but Cubs scratch out a 2-1 victory

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