Cantu scratched with neck stiffness

Sometime in the late innings on Wednesday night, Jorge Cantu felt some stiffness in the back of his neck on the right side.

Cantu, who is riding a 10-game hitting streak, completed the game. But on Thursday, about 40 minutes before the series finale with the Astros, the Marlins cleanup hitter was scratched from the starting lineup.

Cantu was slated to play first base and hit cleanup. The switch put rookie Gaby Sanchez in the starting lineup for the first time this season.

The Marlins ended up losing 4-1 to the Astros, and now they are taking on the Braves beginning on Friday at Turner Field.

“Hopefully it’s better tomorrow,” Cantu said. “I tried [batting practice], but I had to shut it down. I began noticing it in about the seventh or eighth inning [Wednesday].”

– Joe Frisaro