MIAMI -- Jose Fernandez allowed his first two walks of the season, and they came back to back.
Swingman Dennis Schroder Jersey . When his foot slipped on a delivery, the pitch bounced several feet in front of the plate. One frustrating inning ended with the Miami Marlins precocious ace shaking his head and screaming angrily into his glove. Fernandez was at less than his best Saturday, but still good enough to beat the San Diego Padres. He struck out eight in 6 2-3 innings while lowering his ERA to 0.71, and Miami beat the punchless San Diego Padres 5-0. The Marlins improved to 5-1, their best start since 2009. Last year their fifth victory came in their 21st game, and they finished with 100 losses. "Another win. Its incredible," Fernandez said. "To be 5-1 is pretty amazing." Fernandez (2-0) improved his career record at home to 11-0 despite being miffed about a high pitch count early in the game. "Hes such a great competitor," manager Mike Redmond said. "He wasnt as sharp as Ive seen. But his stuff is so good, he still has the ability to make his pitches when he needs to." Fernandez, who threw 108 pitches, left the game annoyed after throwing a wild pitch on a strikeout that allowed Alexi Amarista to reach base with two outs in the seventh. But he allowed only three hits and two walks. "I threw a lot of pitches -- not what I wanted to do," Fernandez said. "But we won. Thats what I care about." Three relievers followed to complete a five-hitter. Giancarlo Stanton had two RBIs to increase his season total to 11, one more than teammate Casey McGehee, who began the day leading the NL. Four of the Marlins runs scored with two outs. "Theres a lot of good stuff going on right now," Redmond said. Andrew Cashner (0-1) allowed only two runs in six innings, but the offensively challenged Padres reached a new low -- for the first time, they were shut out. Theyve scored eight runs this season, worst in the majors, and have lost four in a row since a win on opening day. The Padres went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and are batting .108 (4 for 37) in those situations. "Collectively as a group, were not swinging the bats well," manager Bud Black said. "We are in a team-wide situation that were not swinging. We dont have one guy thats swinging the bat well. Inversely, you look at the Marlins they have guys who are swinging well. And thats what happens. Its cyclical during the course of a season." San Diegos best threat against Fernandez came when he walked two to load the bases with the score 0-0 in the third, but he escaped when Seth Smith hit into an inning-ending double play. The game drew a crowd of 35,188, including Miami Heat owner Micky Arison and president Pat Riley, who chatted briefly with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. Stantons run-scoring single in the third gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead, which looked hefty with Fernandez on the mound. "We knew once we got that one run, we had a good chance," catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. Notes: Marlins 2B Rafael Furcal (hamstring) is scheduled to report Monday to extended spring training in Jupiter, Fla., with rehabilitation assignments to follow. He likely wont be activated until April 20 at the earliest. ... Padres RHP Casey Kelly was scheduled to pitch in a simulated game Saturday, but the workout was postponed at least two days because he was feeling discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow, Black said. The setback isnt believed to be significant. ... Padres RHP Tyson Ross will get an extra day of rest before his next start Tuesday at Cleveland. Black said he made the move in part so the two left-handers in the rotation wouldnt pitch back to back. ... Stanton has two homers in eight at-bats against RHP Ian Kennedy (0-1, 5.40), who is scheduled to start Sunday for the Padres. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 3.00) will start for Miami.
Kirk Hinrich Hawks Jersey . The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign.
Custom Hawks Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. LOS ANGELES -- There was no warm welcome back. No video montage of highlights that brought back the good old days. That didnt keep Dwight Howard from thoroughly enjoying his first road game against the team he left as a free agent after one tumultuous season. Howard had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Houston Rockets in 134-108 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night that extended the Rockets winning streak to eight games. "Were always going to have fun when were playing basketball. We love what were doing," Howard said. "Were playing great, and we just want to have as much fun as possible." The streak is Houstons longest since a franchise-record, 22-game run in 2007-08 under Rick Adelman. James Harden scored 11 of his 29 points in the final 1:25 of the third quarter and added 11 assists. Wesley Johnson scored 24 points for Los Angeles, and Kendall Marshall had 20 points and 16 assists. The injury-ravaged Lakers remained tied for last place in the Western Conference with Sacramento at 18-36. "The Lakers have always found a way to get back to the top, and they will one day. But I cant focus on the Lakers," Howard said. "My focus is on the Rockets and what were trying to accomplish." It was Howards third game against the Lakers since leaving the organization to sign a four-year, $88 million contract with the Rockets in July. Los Angeles offered the eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year a five-year, $118 million deal to stay. "Hes having a great year there, but I felt he did the same thing here," Lakers guard Jodie Meeks said. "The numbers are almost identical. He had a pretty good year last year -- and for whatever reason, some people didnt think so." Howard played 76 games last season, averaging 17.1 points and a league-best 12.4 rebounds despite residual pain from back surgery -- compounded by a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Howards only season in Tinseltown ended with a whimper -- a four-game sweep by San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs, when he was ejected from what would turn out to be his final game as a Laker for protesting a non-call. The sellout crowd booed Howard every time he touched the ball. It began during warm-ups about 45 minutes before the game, after a few of his ex-teammates came over to say hello at midcourt.
Tracy Mcgrady Jersey. . The fans then drowned out public address announcer Lawrence Tanter before he could get Howards name out of his mouth during the introductions. Howard received a technical foul just 78 seconds into the game after dunking on Chris Kaman. "I think it was more emotion than anything," Howard said. "I dont know if the ref thought I was talking to Kaman, but one of my friends was sitting courtside and I was just looking at him and having some fun. It wasnt nothing toward the Lakers or any of their guys. I was just talking trash to one of my friends." Less than 90 minutes before tipoff, the Lakers dealt guard Steve Blake to the Golden State Warriors for reserve guards Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks. Coach Mike DAntoni was still talking about Blake in the present tense during his pregame session with reporters before the deal was consummated, and the trade left him with only eight players in uniform and his 28th different starting lineup due to injuries to Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, Xavier Henry and Nick Young. Jordan Farmar returned to the lineup after missing four games because of a sore hamstring, and Meeks was back in action after sitting out five games with a sprained right ankle. Harden helped the Rockets build a 64-43 halftime lead with 15 points in the first game for both teams following the All-Star break. Howard added 14 points and 10 rebounds -- the 10th time this season that he had a double-double by halftime. NOTES: The Rockets were 18 for 35 on free throws, after attempting more than 50 in each of the previous two meetings. ... Bryant hasnt played in any of the games against Houston since he and Howard became ex-teammates. In fact, hes played in only six games altogether. The season series concludes on April 8 at Los Angeles. ... The Lakers have lost seven games by margins of at least 20 or more points. ... Harden scored at least 30 points in each of his previous four games against the Lakers. ... The Rockets began a five-game road trip that will end right back here at Staples Center against the Clippers.
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