MLB: Jose Fernandez delivers dramatic pinch-hit double in 12th

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

ATLANTA — Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, making the first pinch-hit appearance of his career, drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run double in the 12th inning, helping the Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 7-5 on Friday night.

The dramatic moment overshadowed the meltdown of closer A.J. Ramos, who blew a rare save in the ninth for Miami. Ramos had converted 33 straight saves, one short of the franchise record, before Tyler Flowers led off with his sixth homer to force a 5-5 tie.

Fernandez, one of baseball’s most dynamic starters, began the game with a .222 batting average in 27 at-bats. With the pitcher’s spot due up in the 12th and no position players available, Fernandez batted for reliever Nick Wittgren (3-1) and delivered the big hit.

Fernandez is Miami’s starter Saturday.

METS 10, CUBS 2

NEW YORK — Brandon Nimmo’s three-run homer in the fourth inning was one of five home runs by New York off Jason Hammel in a game that ended Jacob deGrom’s 10-start winless streak.

RED SOX 5, ANGELS 4

BOSTON — David Ortiz homered for his 2,000th hit with Boston and his 522nd career home run, moving into sole possession of 19th place on baseball’s career list and breaking a tie he held with a trio of Hall of Famers including Red Sox great Ted Williams.

C.J. Cron hit a grand slam for the Angels, who lost their fourth straight and 10th in 11.

Craig Kimbrel finished up for his 17th save. Knuckleballer Steven Wright (9-5) got the win.

Jhoulys Chacin (2-5) allowed five runs on 12 hits in just 4 2/3 innings.

GIANTS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4

PHOENIX — Conor Gillaspie fell a home run shy of the cycle and Johnny Cueto settled down after a rocky start to earn his 12th victory.

Trevor Brown doubled in two runs and Grant Green singled in two more for the Giants, who are 5-0 at Chase Field this season. San Francisco’s Jarrett Parker added a solo homer off reliever Randall Delgado in the eighth.

Cueto (12-1) gave up four runs in the first three innings and blanked Arizona for the next four.

NATIONALS 3, REDS 2, 14 INNINGS

WASHINGTON — Ben Revere doubled in the winning run with two outs in the 14th inning, and Washington got its sixth straight victory.

Revere’s liner off the wall in right-center off Ross Ohlendorf (5-6) scored Danny Espinosa, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning.

Yusmeiro Petit (3-1), the sixth Washington pitcher, worked two innings for the win.

The last-place Reds have lost five straight and nine of 10. They battled for 4 hours, 30 minutes before falling in this one.

MARINERS 5, ORIOLES 2

SEATTLE — Kyle Seager and Dae-Ho Lee hit two-run homers to give Seattle Mariners a comeback victory.

Mariners starter Wade LeBlanc (1-0) picked up his first victory since Sept. 23, 2014, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. LeBlanc, acquired in a trade with Toronto on June 22, played last season in Japan.

Steve Cishek worked the ninth for his 20th save in 24 opportunities.

ASTROS 5, WHITE SOX 0

HOUSTON — Carlos Gomez hit a two-run homer and Mike Fiers and three relievers combined for a shutout.

It was Houston’s fourth straight victory and 11th in the last 12 games.

Fiers (6-3) scattered four hits over six innings.

The Astros didn’t have a baserunner until Miguel Gonzalez (1-4) plunked George Springer to start the fourth inning.

RANGERS 3, TWINS 2

MINNEAPOLIS — Ian Desmond homered to lead off the 10th inning and Sam Dyson and Texas held on for a victory.

Dyson notched his 17th save in 19 attempts. Matt Bush (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, which lifted the Rangers to a club-record 52-29 mark at the 81-game midpoint of their season.

Trevor Plouffe tied the game for the Twins with a two-run home run in the seventh that spoiled Martin Perez’s shutout bid, but Desmond took Fernando Abad (1-3) deep to start the extra session.

DODGERS 5, ROCKIES 0

LOS ANGELES — Bud Norris pitched six strong innings while filling in for Clayton Kershaw in his Los Angeles debut and Adrian Gonzalez drove in two runs.

Acquired from Atlanta on Thursday, Norris (4-7) overpowered Colorado from the start, striking out seven of the first 14 hitters. The right-hander held the Rockies to a single and a double, and finished with eight strikeouts.

CARDINALS 7, BREWERS 1

ST. LOUIS — Matt Holliday drove in three runs and left-hander Jaime Garcia threw eight solid innings for St. Louis.

The Cardinals ended a seven-game home losing streak, their longest since Aug. 2-15, 1983. It was their first home win since a 6-3 victory over San Francisco on June 5.

Garcia (6-6) allowed four hits. He struck out six and walked four.

TIGERS 10, RAYS 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rookie right-hander Michael Fulmer give up two hits in seven shutout innings and Victor Martinez hit three-run homers from both sides of the plate in Detroit’s fourth straight win.

Fulmer (8-2) became the first Detroit pitcher since 1913 to give up one run or fewer in eight straight starts. He is 6-1 with a 0.53 ERA in those eight starts.

Drew Smyly (2-9) gave up six hits and four earned runs.

PIRATES 7, ATHLETICS 3

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jody Mercer homered and had an RBI single and Pittsburgh rallied from three runs down to beat stumbling ace Sonny Gray (3-7).

Pirates starter Jeff Locke (8-5) also struggled early but retired the final nine batters he faced to win his third straight.

PHILLIES 4, ROYALS 3

PHILADELPHIA — Jeremy Hellickson threw six sharp innings, Odubel Herrera hit a leadoff homer and Philadelphia got its fourth straight win.

Hellickson (6-6) allowed one run and five hits in six innings, striking out six. He was 0-9 in his previous 15 starts against AL opponents.

PADRES 7, YANKEES 6

SAN DIEGO — Wil Myers hit a two-run home run and 28-year-old rookie Ryan Schimpf hit his first career shot for San Diego.

Colin Rea (5-3) pitched six strong innings for the Padres.

Nathan Eovaldi (6-6) allowed six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.