Braves 2 - 5 Marlins
Final
  for this game

Fernandez shines as Marlins upend Braves

Sep 12, 2013 - 3:44 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Jose Fernandez went out with a bang in the final start of his stellar rookie campaign.

The 21-year-old flame-thrower allowed just one run on five hits over seven innings and also cleared the benches after stroking his first-career homer, as the Miami Marlins downed the Atlanta Braves, 5-2, on Wednesday.

Fernandez (12-6) struck out five and walked three to pick up his seventh win over his last eighth decisions.

"Overall, I thought he was pretty darn good. He had good stuff. His fastball is above average, breaking ball was good, but I also thought we had some pretty good at-bats against him," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-3 with two-run homer and three RBI and Logan Morrison drove in a run for the Marlins.

Mike Minor (13-7) was tagged for five runs -- four earned -- on 11 hits over six innings to absorb the loss.

Evan Gattis smacked a solo homer and Elliot Johnson drove in a run for the Braves, who saw their magic number for clinching the NL East remain at seven games.

Things became chippy after Fernandez got Atlanta third baseman Chris Johnson to fly out in the sixth inning. Johnson and Fernandez exchanged words as Johnson returned to the Braves' dugout. Fernandez was also seen shouting toward the Atlanta dugout following the inning.

Fernandez then led off the home half with a towering homer to left field. The Rookie of the Year candidate stood at home and watched the ball sail over the fence and as he was rounding third base, it appeared that Fernandez spit on the bag.

Fernandez and Braves catcher Brian McCann exchanged words at the plate, causing Chris Johnson to sprint in and the benches to clear. Fernandez was quickly removed from the field, but returned for the seventh inning.

"I'm not happy with that whole inning. I think he showed immaturity tonight, and his youth. I'm not trying to make excuses for him. Showing up the other team with the home run, that's not really what were about," said Marlins manager Mike Redmond. "Again, not trying to make excuses for him. That won't happen again. He got caught up in emotion. We don't show teams up. We're 30 games out of it, those guys are going to the playoffs."

The Marlins jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Christian Yelich singled then moved to second on Elliot Johnson's throwing error. Stanton followed with an RBI single to right field.

Morrison's RBI single in the fourth made it 2-0 before Stanton clobbered a two-run blast to center in the fifth to make it 4-0.

Gattis led off the sixth with a homer, but Fernandez got the run back in the home half with his leadoff shot.

Elliot Johnson doubled home Andrelton Simmons in the ninth to make it 5-2.

Miami announced earlier this season that Fernandez's innings total would be limited to 170-180 frames this season. He finished with 179 2/3.

Since June 1, Fernandez leads the majors in earned run average at 1.50 (20 runs over 120 1/3 innings).

Game Notes

Fernandez is the only pitcher this season with a homer, double and triple ... Gattis leads all rookies with 19 home runs ... Stanton has reached at least 20 home runs in each of his four seasons in the majors ... Miami had dropped four straight entering the contest.






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