MIAMI _ In a week that could have been their unofficial demise, the Miami Marlins remained very much alive.
They beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-2, on Sunday for a series split with the defending World Series champions, who drew the bulk of the nearly 100,000 fans who showed up to Marlins Park for the four games.
Miami's 4-3 week began with a series victory over the Washington Nationals, the runaway NL East leaders, squeaking out two wins in three games to open this critical homestand.
The Marlins remain far behind in the playoff picture _ double-digit games back in the division and wild-card races _ but with a degree of stick-to-it that they lacked in May, they are treading water as June nears its close.
On Sunday, they did it again with a minimal amount of offense. They recorded only five hits, the fourth time in five games they've had that many or fewer _ though they have managed a 3-2 record in that stretch.
The Marlins opened the scoring with three runs in the first inning. Marcell Ozuna lined a single to center to score Ichiro Suzuki, who had reached on an error. Martin Prado came through with a two-out double to left-center.
After that, the Marlins' bats went quiet, much as they did Saturday after a productive first inning. They put one runner in scoring position the rest of the way, and Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery retired his final 10 batters through the sixth inning.
Giancarlo Stanton homered in the seventh, a liner to left, for an insurance run. His 20th of the year ties him with Ozuna for the team lead.
That right-hander Edinson Volquez lasted five innings and allowed just two runs was a minor miracle. He gave up five hits and walked five batters while striking out four, the third start in a row he had more free passes than punchouts.
Volquez loaded the bases twice, including in the second on three walks, but the Cubs came away with only one run in those chances.
Chicago scored on a pair of sacrifice flies, from Anthony Rizzo in the fourth and Tommy La Stella in the fifth.
