Fernandez tops deGrom, Fish win 7-2

Jose Fernandez has been stellar on the mound but he shouldn't be overlooked at the plate either, especially when it matters.  He created the first score of the game in the bottom of the second when he ripped one right past third baseman Jose Reyes' glove, scoring Adeiny Hechavarria from second.  But even though Jacob deGrom produced his own offense in the third when he doubled into the right corner, it was Fernandez who ultimately won this contest.

deGrom got peppered for ten hits and five runs in only 3 2/3 innings.  This was his first loss since June 19th.  Fernandez lasted seven innings, allowed two runs on seven hits, and struck out seven.  Offensively, he was 2 for 2 with one RBI and one run.

In that third inning, deGrom's double sparked the Mets' offense.  Yoenis Cespedes scored deGrom, and after Curtis Granderson singled to center, James Loney launched a deep enough pop-up to score Granderson.

Their 2-1 lead was short-lived.

Giancarlo Stanton massacred a two-run homer to left in the bottom of the third, a ball that measured 441 feet with an exit velocity of 116mph.  He nailed his third hit of the game an inning later, which sent Fernandez home.

With two outs and two on in the fourth, Seth Lugo relieved deGrom, and missed his first eight pitches, eventually scoring Christian Yelich and giving the Marlins a 5-2 lead.  Lugo struggled into the fifth as well, surrendering a two-out RBI single to Martin Prado that scored Hech to make it 6-2.

In the seventh Prado singled to left, scoring Chris Johnson as J.T. Realmuto was thrown out at third to close the inning.

Stanton finished 4 for 5 with three RBI and one run.  Yelich was 3 for 4 with two runs and one walk.  Prado recorded two hits and two RBI and struck out three times.  Ichiro Suzuki, four hits shy of 3,000, made an appearance as a pinch hitter in the eighth, but he grounded out to second.  Nick Wittgren pitched the ninth instead of AJ Ramos and allowed one hit.

The series with the Mets concludes tomorrow when Jose Urena (1-1, 6.23 ERA) faces Steven Matz (7-6, 3.56 ERA) at 1:10.