Miami, FL – Jose Fernandez and the Miami Marlins handed the Los Angeles Dodgers a second consecutive loss for the first time in nearly two months.
The Marlins pulled out a 6-2 win over the red-hot Dodgers in the opener of this four-game series behind Fernandez (9-5), who allowed just two runs -- one earned -- on four hits and three walks over six innings. He had eight strikeouts.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo homer, while Donovan Solano and Logan Morrison each had two hits, a run scored and an RBI for Miami, which won for the fourth time in six games.
"We just beat the best team in baseball," said a happy Fernandez. "I'm looking forward to winning the next three."
Los Angeles went on a 42-8 tear after losing back-to-back games to the Padres on June 20-21, but dropped a 3-2 decision to the Phillies on Sunday and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Monday to fall short.
Juan Uribe went 3-for-4 with a run scored and another driven in, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-4) suffered his first loss since June 19 after allowing three runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings.
The matchup featured three of the top contenders for the NL Rookie of the Year award, with both starters sporting ERA's under 3.00 coming in and Yasiel Puig bursting onto the scene to spark Los Angeles' recent surge.
Fernandez, who improved to 6-0 in 12 home starts, showed he belongs in the conversation with another solid outing while also displaying some skills on the offensive side.
The 21-year-old phenom recorded Miami's first hit with a two-out single in the third frame, then scored from first on Christian Yelich's double to deep left field.
Solano followed with an opposite-field single for a 2-0 Marlins lead that was threatened when the Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth. Uribe and Mark Ellis began the inning with singles, and an error on Ed Lucas loaded the bases for Carl Crawford, whose groundout to second plated a run.
Fernandez limited the damage by striking out fellow Cuban Puig and Adrian Gonzalez, but the visitors pulled even the next inning when Uribe sent a payoff pitch to the wall in left to drive in Andre Ethier from first base.
The Marlins answered in their next turn, as Solano and Stanton each singled with one away and Morrison hit a one-hopper off the wall in right to knock in a run.
Three runs in the home eighth sealed the outcome. Stanton took Chris Withrow to straightaway center field for his 15th home run, and a pair of two-out, RBI singles from Lucas and Adeiny Hechavarria accounted for the final margin.
"We didn't play bad tonight...we just got beat," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Game Notes
Since June 1, Fernandez's 1.64 ERA is the lowest in the majors. He has held opponents to two runs or less in each of his last seven starts ... The Dodgers had won each of the last nine games started by Ryu, who had a five-start winning streak snapped ... Puig went 0-for-5 and is hitless in his last 11 at- bats.
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