Chicago ? There were a few successes worth savoring Wednesday night for the Florida Marlins.

They retired the Chicago Cubs 1-2-3 in the fourth inning.

That intentional walk to Sammy Sosa with the score 11-0 paid off.

They threw only one pitch into the stands.

And third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who moved to shortstop for the first time in his career in the sixth inning, showed off his strong arm at the new position. Maybe he should have been on the mound.

For the most part, Game 2 of the NL championship series was one to forget for the Marlins, and especially for their pitching staff. The Cubs totaled 16 hits and four home runs, including two by Alex Gonzalez and a 495-footer by Sosa, and won 12-3.

“A bad night,” said Brad Penny, who gave up Chicago’s first seven runs.

The drubbing made the Marlins thankful they pulled out Tuesday’s 9-8 thriller with an 11th-inning, pinch-hit home run by Mike Lowell. Despite their team ERA of 9.00 in two games at Wrigley Field, the best-of-seven series is tied at 1 and headed for Miami, where 65,000 fans and crafty left-hander Mark Redman will greet the Cubs Friday.

The bad news for those fans: Chicago’s pitcher in Game 3 will be Kerry Wood, who has thrown a two-hitter and a three-hitter in his previous starts against Florida this year.

“We’re very happy coming out with a split against this very good ballclub,” Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. “It’s pretty tough to go into the opposition’s ballpark and win two in a row.”

McKeon can only hope his pitchers fare better than they did at Wrigley.

Penny departed with none out in the third, matching the shortest outing ever by a Florida starter in postseason play. He allowed seven hits and two homers, including Sosa’s moon shot.

“I threw him a fastball down the middle,” Penny said. “Overall, I just couldn’t get my breaking ball over for strikes. They just kept hanging.”

Relievers Nate Bump and Rick Helling took their lumps, too.