Jul 2, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) connects for a solo home run during the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Marlins Park. Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
MIAMI — Jose Fernandez, returning to the mound for the first time in nearly 14 months, homered and pitched six innings, leading the Miami Marlins to a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon at Marlins Park.
Fernandez (1-0) — who hadn’t pitched in a major-league game since May 9, 2014, due to Tommy John surgery — allowed seven hits and no walks, striking out six and reaching 99 mph on the radar gun. He threw 89 pitches, 68 for strikes.
His solo home run in the fifth inning sparked a four-run rally. Marlins first baseman Justin Bour, who has homered in three straight games, followed with a three-run shot later in the inning to give Miami a 5-3 lead.
The Marlins (34-46) completed their first three-game sweep since they beat Washington, April 24-26.
San Francisco (42-38) was swept for the fifth time this season. The Giants also had their eight-game errorless streak ended with miscues by center fielder Gregor Blanco and third baseman Matt Duffy.
Fernandez’s performance overshadowed the return of Giants right-hander Matt Cain (0-1), who hadn’t pitched since July 9, 2014, due to elbow and ankle surgeries and a strained flexor tendon in his right arm.
Cain, a three-time All-Star from 2009 to 2012, lasted five innings against the Marlins, allowing seven hits, four walks and five runs.
The Giants started the scoring with two first-inning runs.
Facing Blanco, Fernandez threw the first pitch for a strike. Blanco recovered to smack a clean single to center on a 2-1 count. Second baseman Joe Panik doubled down the third-base line, putting runners on second and third with no outs.
After Duffy struck out on a 99 mph fastball, first baseman Buster Posey hit a sacrifice fly. Left fielder Brandon Belt hit an RBI single on a soft popup that third baseman Miguel Rojas nearly caught with an over-the-shoulder attempt.
With two outs, none on and a full count in the third inning, Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich doubled over the head of Belt, who normally plays first base. Yelich then scored on a single to center by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, cutting Miami’s deficit to 2-1.
In the fifth, Blanco extended San Francisco’s lead to 3-1 when he pulled a 94 mph fastball to the upper deck in right field.
But, in the bottom of the fifth, Fernandez hit his homer, pulling a 91 mph fastball to left. Fans started chanting “Jose! Jose!” as Fernandez rounded the bases, pointing at his family in the stands.
Bour followed with his upper-deck homer. It was his ninth homer of the season, all against right-handers.
San Francisco cut its deficit to 5-4 in the eighth, when Posey hit a solo homer to left off reliever Carter Capps.
A.J. Ramos worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 12th save.
NOTES: Giants C Buster Posey, who took a foul tip off his mask on Wednesday and left the game, started at first base Thursday. … Giants RF Hunter Pence, who has been out since June 2 (left wrist tendinitis), is hitting off a tee but likely will be out until after the All-Star break. … Miami sent RHP Jose Urena to Triple-A New Orleans. … Marlins RHP Jarred Cosart, who pitched out of the bullpen for the first time in his career last month after returning from the disabled list (vertigo), will be back in the rotation Saturday at the Chicago Cubs. … Giants RHP Jake Peavy, who hasn’t pitched since April 18 due to a back strain, will come off the disabled list on Friday at Washington. … Giants RHP Tim Hudson left the team after Wednesday’s game due to an unspecified family situation. He could go on the bereavement list, opening a roster spot for Peavy.
