Fernandez brilliant in win over Mets
Opening Day starter allows just two hits and strikes out two
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- For the Mets, splitting into two squads on Wednesday meant picking their poison. Half the team traveled north to Viera to face Nationals perennial Cy Young contender Gio Gonzalez. The other half stayed home against reigning National League Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez.
That group must have regretted its assignment. Fernandez was his usual brilliant self in a 5-2, 10-inning Marlins win at Tradition Field, holding the Mets to two hits with two strikeouts over 3 1/3 shutout innings. Mark Canha won it for Miami with an RBI double off Gonzalez Germen in the 10th.
After Eric Young Jr. singled to open the bottom of the first, Fernandez set down nine batters in a row, reaching 98 mph with his fastball. Reliever Kevin Slowey entered and picked up where Fernandez left off, allowing only one hit over 2 2/3 innings.
The Marlins plated their first run on Reed Johnson's second-inning double off Mets starter Dillon Gee, who allowed nothing else in 2 1/3 innings. Another run came against Carlos Torres in the fifth, when Jeff Mathis scored on fellow catcher Anthony Recker's error.
"I'd still like to feel a little better out there," Gee said. "I still feel a little out of sync, but that's what all this is for."
The Mets broke through for a run in the seventh when Recker singled home Josh Satin, who had doubled with one out. Two innings later they pushed across the tying run when Matt Clark scored on Matt den Dekker's sacrifice fly.
That forced the game into a 10th inning, which Germen began by walking two consecutive batters. After a Brian Bogusevic flyout, Canha lined his game-winning double over den Dekker's head, and Brent Keys doubled home two additional runs to put the game out of reach.
Up next: The Red Sox make their lone visit to Roger Dean Stadium to take on the Marlins on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was part of Boston's World Series championship team last season, and he will start against his former team. Nathan Eovaldi will make his second start; he is slated to throw three innings. Allen Webster is starting for the Red Sox.