The Cubs tried to get Jeff Samardzija a win in his major-league debut on Friday afternoon, but Jeremy Hermeida spoiled the party with a pinch-hit 9th inning homer to lead the Florida Marlins to a 3-2 win from Wrigley Field.

Josh Willingham then hit an RBI double to score Uggla from 1st base & give the Marlins a 1-0 lead.

With Willingham at 2nd base & nobody out, Dempster then retired the side to leave a runner stranded in scoring position.

The Cubs were then able to get even in the bottom of the 2nd inning on Geovany Soto’s 2-out solo homer (17th of season) to tie the game 1-1.

Ryan Dempster then got himself into trouble during the top of the 5th inning after issuing 3 consecutive 2-out walks to Luis Gonzalez, Jorge Cantu & Mike Jacobs.

Dempster then got out of by striking out Dan Uggla with the bases loaded to end the scoring threat.

The Cubs took their only lead of the game in the bottom of the 5th inning on Reed Johnson’s 1-out solo homer (5th of season & 2nd in last 3 days) to give themselves a 2-1 lead.

Chicago then actually had a chance to add onto their lead in the bottom of the 6th inning after Kosuke Fukudome & Geovany Soto drew back-to-back 1-out walks against Florida starter Josh Johnson.

2 batters later, Reed Johnson drew a walk to load the bases for pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, who struck out against Marlins reliever Joe Nelson to end the scoring threat.

Florida then tied the game 2-2 in the top of the 7th inning on Jorge Cantu’s 2-out RBI double off Chicago reliever Jeff Samardzija, who made his major league debut on Friday afternoon & hit in the middle to upper 90’s consistently during his 2 innings of work.

The Cubs had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the 7th inning after Ryan Theriot hit a 1-out single off Marlins reliever Doug Waetcher.

Derrek Lee then reached on a fielder’s choice (Theriot was out at 2nd) & Aramis Ramirez walked to put runners at 1st & 2nd with 2 outs for Kosuke Fukudome.

Lee & Ramirez were both able to advance 90 feet on a wild pitch from Marlins reliever Renyel Pinto, who struck out Fukudome to end the scoring threat.

The Cubs had yet another chance to take the lead in the bottom of the 8th inning after pinch-hitter Ronny Cedeno hit a 1-out single off Pinto.

2 batters later, pinch-hitter Jim Edmonds doubled to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with 2 outs for Alfonso Soriano.

Soriano popped up to Cody Ross in centerfield to end the scoring threat.

Florida scored the winning run in the top of the 9th inning on a lead-off pinch-hit solo homer from Jeremy Hermeida (13th of season) to give the Marlins a 3-2 lead.

The Marlins looked to score a big insurance run after Hanley Ramirez’s 1-out double off Cubs reliever Bob Howry, but John Baker & Jorge Cantu were retired on outfield flyouts to end the inning.

The Cubs were retired in order in the bottom of the 9th inning which ended the game.

Justin Miller (3-2) gets the win for the Marlins after pitching 2/3rd’s of an inning & allowing 1 hit while striking out 1 batter.

Bob Howry (3-4) takes the loss for the Cubs after allowing Hermeida’s game-winning homer in the top of the 9th inning. Howry has not looked very good in the month of July, as he currently sports an 6.97 ERA in 11 relief apperances.

Despite throwing 23 of his 31 pitches for strikes in his big-league debut, Jeff Samardzija is credited with a blown save after allowing Cantu’s game-tying RBI double in the 7th inning.

The Cubs are still in 1st place thanks to some help from Houston (who snapped Milwaukee’s 7 game win streak with a 3-1 victory on Friday night) & will look to now once again lead this series on Saturday afternoon at 12:05 PM cst from Wrigley Field, as righthander Rich Harden (0-1, 0.73 in 2 starts with Cubs) will be opposed by Marlins righty Chris Volstad (2-1, 2.16).

Harden has been lights out so far as a Cub in his 2 starts, allowing just 1 run over 12 1/3 innings of work & striking out 20 batters opposed to just 5 walks.

Harden did face Florida back on June 20th as a member of the Oakland Athletics & allowd just 1 run over 5 2/3 innings of work, but received a no-decision.

Volstad will make just the 3rd start of his big-league career on Saturday, as the rookie has won each of his 2 previous road starts to date this season after allowing just 1 run over 10 2/3 innings of work.

Signing off for now,