Marlins 10, Indians 0
MIAMI -- Jose Fernandez struck out a career-high 14 batters in eight innings and the Miami Marlins snapped the Cleveland Indians' eight-game winning streak on Friday night with a 10-0 victory at Marlins Park.
Fernandez (8-5) allowed three hits and one walk in lowering his ERA to 2.54. He struck out at least one batter in every inning and two in six of those. Thirteen of the 14 strikeouts were swinging.
With one out in the seventh, Fernandez gave up his only extra-base hit -- a double to Asdrubal Cabrera. It was the first time all night that an Indians batter had reached second and it snapped Fernandez's streak of 12 outs in a row.
Cabrera advanced to third on a groundout, but Fernandez ended the threat by striking out Carlos Santana looking at a knee-buckling, 86 mph curveball.
The Marlins added five runs in the eighth. Logan Morrison, who went 4 for 5 with four RBIs, highlighted the rally with a two-run triple.
It was easily Morrison's best game of the year, especially considering he had five RBIs all of June and seven in July.
As a team, the Marlins had 16 hits, which ties their season high for a nine-inning game.
The Indians (60-49), who lost what had been their longest winning streak since taking eight in a row in 2008, started the night two games behind the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers, a team they will host for four games staring Monday.
The Marlins (43-65) are last in the National League East, but they have won or split three straight series.
The Marlins scored three unearned runs in the top of the third. The rally started with a one-out walk by Ed Lucas and continued when Cabrera booted a ground ball to short for just his fifth error of the season.
The Marlins then cashed in with three straight run-scoring plays: a softly hit double by Morrison (left fielder Michael Brantley rushed in, dived and nearly caught it), a groundout by Donovan Solano and a single by Adeiny Hechavarria.
In the second, Marlins rookie Christian Yelich hit his first career triple -- just inside the first-base bag -- and scored on a two-out single by Morrison.
Later in the inning, Cabrera booted his second ground ball in as many opportunities, but the Indians escaped further damage when Hechavarria grounded out.
The Marlins increased their lead to 5-0 in the third when Jake Marisnick doubled in front of diving right fielder Drew Stubbs. Marisnick then swiped third base - his first career steal - and scored on Fernandez's sacrifice fly.
Indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who pitched eight scoreless innings in his previous start, was not effective against Miami. He lasted just four innings, allowing nine hits, two walks and five runs.
NOTES: The Indians entered the game ranked third in the majors in runs scored and third in two-out runs. ... OF Juan Pierre was named the Marlins' winner of the Heart and Hustle award, an honor given to a player who displays a passion for the game. Also Friday, a scoring change from a previous game gave Pierre his 20th steal of the season. (It was originally ruled defensive indifference.) That gives him 13 consecutive seasons with at least 20 steals and makes him the 16th player in major-league history to accomplish the feat. The record is held by Rickey Henderson, who did it 23 years in a row.
