Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Jose Fernandez strikes out career-high 14 as Marlins shut out Braves

Final
Series: Game 2 of 3

Marlins 1

(10-11, 1-7 away)

Braves 0

(13-7, 5-3 home)



62°
Few Clouds
7:10 PM ET, April 22, 2014
Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia 

123456789 R H E
MIA 000100000 1 4 1
ATL 000000000 0 3 0
W: J. Fernandez (3-1)
L: A. Wood (2-3)
S: S. Cishek (4)
 
 
 
 
Associated Press
Marlins Blank Braves
Jose Fernandez struck out 14 in the Marlins' 1-0 win over the Braves.Tags: MLB, Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves, Casey McGehee, Jose Fernandez, Highlights

ATLANTA -- Jose Fernandez gave credit to his catcher and even claimed he had "a lucky game."
The Braves weren't buying it.
Fernandez matched his career high with 14 strikeouts in eight innings and combined with Steve Cishek on a three-hitter as the Miami Marlins shut out Atlanta 1-0 on Tuesday night.
"He pitched amazing," said Atlanta's Chris Johnson. "We went up against a buzz-saw today."
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said his hitters "were coming back shaking their heads."
Fernandez (3-1) outpitched Atlanta's Alex Wood (2-3), who also was dominant. Wood allowed four hits and one run with no walks and a career-high 11 strikeouts in eight innings.
But the night belonged to Fernandez.
"I think it would be fair to say that was probably his best-pitched game as far as his stuff and his command," said Marlins manager Mike Redmond.
Fernandez struck out the side in the fourth and fifth innings. He allowed three hits with no walks but said he didn't have that kind of control in the bullpen before the game.
"My breaking ball in the bullpen was horrible, horrible," Fernandez said. "But I thought to myself that when they say `play ball' it gets better."
Fernandez said catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia deserved credit for the way he helped keep Atlanta's batters off-balance.
"He was just amazing back there," Fernandez said. "I can't explain how good he was."
Gonzalez said Fernandez, 21, has more dominant games in his future.
"He's got the capability of running those type of games out every time he goes out," Gonzalez said.
When told he was receiving postgame compliments in the Braves' clubhouse, Fernandez shrugged and said "That was a lucky game today, I think."
The Marlins gave Fernandez the only run he would need in the fourth. Giancarlo Stanton hit a one-out double to left field and scored on Casey McGehee's single up the middle.
Jason Heyward led off the first with a single to left field, and the Braves didn't have another hit until Chris Johnson's leadoff single in the eighth. Fernandez then struck out Dan Uggla and Evan Gattis before Andrelton Simmons' infield single moved pinch-runner Tyler Pastornicky to second.
Pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit grounded out to Fernandez to end the eighth.
The eight innings matched Fernandez's career high. He was at 109 pitches after the eighth, so Redmond said it was an easier call to bring in Cishek for the ninth.
"I think he did his job," Redmond said of Fernandez. "The agonizing would have been had he been around 100 pitches. After the runners got on in the eighth, I knew that was going to be an easier decision."
Cishek pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Atlanta's only other baserunner before the eighth came when B.J. Upton reached on McGehee's fielding error at third base in the fourth. Fernandez then struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
It was the second straight start Fernandez did not allow an earned run. He allowed three unearned runs and received no decision in the Marlins' 6-3 loss to Washington on April 16.
Fernandez set his career high with 14 strikeouts against Cleveland on Aug. 2, 2013. Wood's previous high was nine strikeouts against Washington on Aug. 16, 2013.
Wood lowered his ERA from 1.67 to 1.54 in the loss.
The game lasted only 2 hours, 8 minutes.

Game notes


After the game, the Marlins options RHP Arquimedes Caminero Triple-A New Orleans. The team will make a corresponding move on Wednesday. ... Braves LHP Mike Minor (sore left shoulder) will make one final minor league rehab with Double-A Mississippi at Pensacola on Friday. Minor had been tentatively set to make his 2014 Atlanta debut on Saturday before being pushed back. ... Christian Yelich, who led off the game with a bunt single, has a 16-game hitting streak. ... The Braves traded Triple-A Gwinnett IF Tyler Greene to San Diego for a player to be named later. Greene will be assigned to the Padres' Triple-A El Paso team. ... Atlanta RHP Aaron Harang will face Miami RHP Nathan Eovaldi on Wednesday.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
 
 
 
 

Game Information

StadiumTurner Field, Atlanta, GA
Attendance18,275 (37% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time2:08
Weather67 degrees, cloudy
Wind10 mph
UmpiresHome Plate - Doug Eddings, First Base - Marvin Hudson, Second Base - Cory Blaser, Third Base - Jim Joyce

Research Notes

Giancarlo Stanton has a .792 slugging percentage in at-bats to end on a pitch from a lefty on the inner third of the plate or closer since the start of last season, the third-best rate among qualified hitters over that time. Alex Wood has thrown 49 percent of his pitches in that zone to righties so far this season, second most among qualifiers.
For the 2nd straight start Alex Wood threw 8 innings, gave up 1 run and got the loss. The last pitcher to have that happen was Mike Norris in May of 1980.
  [+]
From Elias: Jose Fernandez is the 2nd pitcher with 14 strikeouts, no walks and no runs allowed in a game against the Braves. The other is Nap Rucker, who did it in a no-hitter for the Brooklyn Dodgers (then known as Superbas) in 1908
 

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