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Fernandez Rolls Again, Marlins Beat Braves 9-0

MIAMI (AP) — Jose Fernandez allowed two hits in eight stellar innings, Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and the Miami Marlins opened a homestand by beating the Atlanta Braves 9-0 on Tuesday night.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia also homered for Miami, which had its third-highest run output of the season.

Miami second baseman Ed Lucas had three hits in his season debut after recovering from a broken left hand, and Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run single for the Marlins.

Fernandez (4-1) was dominant against the NL East leaders, lowering his ERA to 1.59. He struck out eight and walked two.

Atlanta starter Alex Wood (2-4) allowed seven runs and 10 hits, leaving after facing four batters without getting an out in the sixth.

Fernandez got only one run of support — all he needed — to beat Wood 1-0 last Tuesday. The runs came in bunches during the rematch, with Miami scoring three in the third and five more in the sixth to blow it open.

Stanton went the opposite way for a two-run homer to right in the third inning, and Ozuna's single in the sixth was enough to chase Wood. Fernandez even added a run-scoring single later in the sixth, and Saltalamacchia connected off Braves reliever Anthony Varvaro in the seventh.

The Braves had only three right-handed batters in the starting lineup against the right-handed Fernandez, looking for any way to break through against Miami's young ace.

It was evident early that little was going to work. Fernandez needed only 17 pitches to get his first seven outs, and ended two innings with a pair of knee-buckling 83 mph off-speed offerings.

Fernandez was even solid in the field, keeping the game scoreless with a nifty play to end the third. He came hard off the mound to field Ramiro Pena's chopper that stopped halfway up the third-base line, then faked a throw to first — which baited the Braves' Tyler Pastornicky into taking off from third base.

Fernandez simply flipped the ball to Saltalamacchia, who put the tag on a sliding Pastornicky and kept the game scoreless. By the time Fernandez returned to the mound, he had a 3-0 lead and was rolling.

NOTES: Aaron Harang (3-1) goes for Atlanta on Wednesday against the Marlins' Nathan Eovaldi (1-1). ... To make room for Lucas, the Marlins designated INF Greg Dobbs for assignment. ... Marlins RHP Jacob Turner (shoulder strain) will come off the DL to start Saturday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... The Braves said LHP Mike Minor (shoulder soreness) will start in Atlanta on Friday, making his season debut against San Francisco.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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