Fernandez Spoils Kershaw's Return, Marlins Top Dodgers 4-1
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MIAMI (AP) — Jose Fernandez tied a career high with 14 strikeouts, overshadowing Clayton Kershaw's return from injury and leading the Miami Marlins to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
Fernandez (14-8) gave up three hits and three walks in seven shutout innings. It was the fifth time he's struck out 14 in a game, and third this season.
Kershaw (11-3) had not started for the Dodgers since June 26 because of a mild disk herniation in his back. He threw 66 pitches, 46 for strikes, while allowing two runs and five hits over three innings.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP struck out five, did not walk a batter and now has 150 strikeouts against nine free passes in 2016.
J.T. Realmuto homered for Miami, which improved to 5-0 against the NL West leaders this season. Yasmani Grandal hit his 25th homer in the ninth for the Dodgers, who tried to rally against Fernando Rodney before A.J. Ramos came in and closed it out for his career-best 33rd save.
Fernandez was simply dominant, improving to 4-0 all-time against the Dodgers and 28-2 at Marlins Park. There have been 12 games in the majors this season when a pitcher has struck out 14 or more, and no one else has more than one of them.
His 102nd and last pitch — one that fanned Yasiel Puig for No. 14 — hit 98 mph.
Not even a delay could derail him. Fernandez waited about 40 minutes between the fifth and sixth, because the Marlins fifth was a most unusual inning — featuring an RBI squeeze bunt by Christian Yelich, Ichiro Suzuki driving in a run by getting hit with a pitch with the bases loaded, and that same pitch knocking plate umpire Brian Knight out of the game.
The pitch deflected off Suzuki and into Knight's mask and neck area. Crew chief Bill Miller moved to the plate from second, and after a 13-minute stoppage the game finished with three umpires.
By then, Kershaw's night was long over.
The Dodgers' left-handed ace gave up some hard-hit balls, but the most important element of his outing was this: When tested physically, he showed no ill effects.
Fernandez lined a low offering right back up the middle in the second inning, sending Kershaw spinning 180 degrees and leaving him looking at second base with his left leg outstretched like a hockey goalie making a pad save. And in the third, Kershaw pounced off the mound to field Yelich's nubber, then spun to make the throw to first and fell back somewhat awkwardly.
Neither instance seemed to bother him. And after the third, Kershaw put a blue Dodgers jacket on, chomped on some pink bubble gum and spent the rest of the night in the dugout.
THE DON
Marlins manager Don Mattingly is the third skipper in the last half-century to start 5-0 against the Dodgers — the team he managed from 2011-15. He joined Jack McKeon (with the Padres in 1988) and Sparky Anderson (with the Reds in 1970).
CELEBRATING PERFECTION
It was the 51st anniversary of the only Dodgers perfect game, Sandy Koufax's 1-0 gem against the Chicago Cubs. Dennis Martinez — who pitched a perfect game for Montreal at Dodger Stadium in 1991 — threw out one of Friday's ceremonial first pitches.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: OF Andre Ethier (broken right leg) could make his season debut this weekend. ... To make room for Kershaw when he was activated from the disabled list, Los Angeles put RHP Carlos Frias on the 60-day DL — making him the 28th Dodgers player on the DL this season.
Marlins: OF Giancarlo Stanton, limited to pinch-hitting duty, struck out with the bases loaded to end the fifth.
UP NEXT
The series continues Saturday with LHP Rich Hill (11-3, 1.94 ERA; 8-0 in his last 10 starts) going for the Dodgers against RHP Tom Koehler (9-10, 3.87).
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