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Stanton’s HR backs Jose’s gem in win over Nats
- Updated: September 21, 2016
MIAMI — Although he may not receive the national recognition, Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark has spent this breakout season in 2016 proving he belongs on par with pitchers such as the Marlins’ Jose Fernandez.
The two were locked in a pitchers’ duel on Tuesday night at Marlins Park, but Fernandez turned in perhaps his best start of the season to lead the Marlins to a 1-0 victory. Both pitchers traded zeros until the sixth when Giancarlo Stanton hammered a solo home run off Roark. Fernandez took care of the rest, lasting a season-high eight innings with 12 strikeouts.
The Marlins improved to 3 1/2 games out of a National League Wild Card spot as they continue to fight for their postseason lives. Fernandez had struggled a bit lately, posting a 4.02 ERA in his last nine starts, with Miami dropping six of them. But the Nationals have never been able to solve Fernandez, who entered Tuesday with a 1.13 ERA in nine career starts.
Washington, meanwhile, lost its fourth consecutive game, as its magic number to clinch the NL East remained at five, with the Mets still playing against the Braves. Roark did do his best to end that skid, tossing seven innings of one-run ball on three hits with five strikeouts.
MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDBig day for Jose: Fernandez is known for racking up strikeouts, but the 24-year-old rarely throws as many as eight innings. He has been on a flexible innings …
