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Marlins' Fernandez blanks Braves

Jose Fernandez beats Atlanta 9-0, a week after beating the Braves, 1-0.

JOSE FERNANDEZ got booed for not running out a grounder, and felt a tiny twinge of disappointment about not getting a chance to finish off what could have been his first complete game.

Everything else for the Miami Marlins' young ace went perfectly once again last night.

Fernandez allowed two hits in eight stellar innings, Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and the Marlins opened a homestand by beating the Atlanta Braves, 9-0.

"Jose did a great job," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We needed him to go out there and log some big innings, and that's back-to-back great starts against a great offensive team."

Jarrod Saltalamacchia also homered for Miami in a game that took just 2 hours, 7 minutes.

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. Miami designated former Phillie Greg Dobbs for assignment to make room for Lucas on the roster.

Fernandez (4-1) was dominant against the NL East leaders for the second time in a week, lowering his ERA to 1.59. He struck out eight and walked two, and hasn't allowed an earned run in 23 innings over his last three starts.

The righthander's numbers are eye-popping going back to early in his rookie season. Fernandez is 14-4 with a 1.52 ERA in 24 starts since June 1, with 190 strikeouts against 45 walks in 160 innings.

"Same as last time - he's good every time," Atlanta's Freddie Freeman said.

Braves starter Alex Wood (2-4) allowed seven runs and 10 hits, leaving after facing four batters without getting an out in the sixth. Wood and Fernandez had a memorable duel last week, combining for 25 strikeouts and no walks in what became a 1-0 Miami win.

This time, Fernandez - who got booed by some in the crowd after not running out a sharp grounder to shortstop leading off the third - needed only one run again. Miami just happened to give him eight more for good measure.

In AL games

* At New York, Robinson Cano was booed as expected and went 1-for-5, drove in one run and scored another to help Seattle beat the Yankees, 6-3, in his Yankee Stadium homecoming.

* At Boston, Shane Victorino went 4-for-4 and drove in two runs to help the Red Sox beat Tampa Bay, 7-4.

In interleague games

* At Baltimore, the Orioles' scheduled game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed by rain and rescheduled for tonight.

* At Minneapolis, the Minnesota Twins postponed their series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of inclement weather. It will be made up today in a day-night doubleheader.

Noteworthy

* San Francisco righthander Matt Cain was scratched from his scheduled start last night against San Diego after cutting the tip of his right index finger once at the ballpark. Manager Bruce Bochy said before the game that Cain was in the clubhouse kitchen and had a knife in his hand when the utensil dropped, Cain tried to catch it and cut his finger. "It's on the forefinger about half an inch, but it's in a bad spot there," Bochy said. The team said he wouldn't require stitches on his pitching hand.

* Former pitcher Roger Clemens and his onetime strength coach came face-to-face in a bid to settle their long-running legal dispute, but they emerged from a closed-door meeting without a deal. A judge had summoned Clemens and Brian McNamee to federal court in Brooklyn for settlement talks aimed at heading off a trial in the defamation lawsuit McNamee filed against Clemens. McNamee's lawyer emerged saying an agreement wasn't likely.

* The grandson of Babe Ruth is auctioning off the watch given to the baseball legend in his last appearance at Yankee Stadium in 1948, a few months before he died of cancer. Tom Stevens was given the watch by his grandmother - Ruth's wife, Claire - when he graduated from college in 1974, and has kept it in a safe deposit box ever since. The watch will be auctioned online by SCP Auctions, with final bids on May 17. SCP estimated it would go for at least $750,000. A civil engineer, Stevens, 61, said he will use the proceeds for family care, including helping his own grandchildren go to college.

* Atlanta lefthander Mike Minor, shut down in spring training with shoulder soreness, is scheduled to make his season debut Friday night against San Francisco.

* Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman threw 25 pitches during batting practice, passing the final test before he can begin a rehabilitation stint in the minors.

* Washington outfielder Bryce Harper had surgery on his injured left thumb, which is expected to sideline him until at least July. Also, the Nationals optioned righthanded starter Taylor Jordan to Triple A and recalled righthanded reliever Ryan Mattheus.

* Texas third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff will get a second opinion before having a herniated disk in his lower back surgically repaired.