Fernandez Looks To Bounce Back After Career-Worst Start
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MIAMI (SportsDirect Inc.) -- Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez is banking some home cookin' on Friday will be just what he needs to wash the taste out of his mouth after allowing a career-high nine runs in his last trip to the mound.
The 23-year-old All-Star carries scintillating career marks of 24-1 and a 1.48 ERA at home into the opener of a three-game series versus the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Miami must be welcoming the sight of its own park after dropping two of three to the National League East-rival New York Mets to conclude a 3-6 road trip.
Giancarlo Stanton belted a pair of homers for the second straight day in Wednesday's 4-2 setback to the Mets after going deep just once in his previous 10 games.
The NL Central cellar-dwelling Reds posted back-to-back victories over the first-place Chicago Cubs to temporarily stop the bleeding after dropping 11 of their previous 13 contests.
Zack Cozart has homered in three consecutive contests and is 10-for-23 with six RBIs and as many runs scored during his five-game hitting streak.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Dan Straily (4-5, 4.34 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (10-4, 2.69)
Straily breezed into the eighth inning before surrendering a two-run homer to Danny Espinosa on Saturday, souring a brilliant performance as he allowed three runs on two hits in a no-decision versus Washington. The 27-year-old continues to be plagued by control issues, however, as he permitted three walks for the fourth time in five outings. Straily will be making his 71st career start and first against Miami on Friday.
Fernandez's nine runs yielded in Saturday's 9-1 setback to Atlanta eclipsed the sum of his previous nine outings, during which he permitted eight runs in 61 innings en route to posting a 7-1 mark. The talented Cuban was taken deep twice against the Braves after surrendering just five homers in his previous 15 starts. Fernandez evened his career mark versus Cincinnati at 1-1 after scattering six hits and striking out nine over seven scoreless innings last July.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami 2B Derek Dietrich, who is batting .304 at home this season, has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games.
2. Cincinnati C Tucker Barnhart belted a three-run homer in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Cubs, giving him eight RBIs in his last nine contests.
3. The Marlins own a 10-4 mark versus the NL Central while the Reds are 9-11 versus the NL East.
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