MLB Opening Day 2014: Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins Too Much For Colorado Rockies In Opener, 10-1

Mar 31, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) throws in the third inning of an opening day baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado Rockies pitcher Jorge De La Rosa got off to a great start Monday night as he struck out four batters in two scoreless innings of work but made a mistake in the third inning that he wanted back. He got behind in the count with Miami Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna who smoked a 3-1 fastball over the fence in left field to give the Marlins the early 1-0 lead. His counterpart Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins was on his game, however.

Fernandez made the Rockies hitters look like fools, pitching six innings, giving up five hits, only one earned run while striking out nine batters. He would throw 94 pitches while 73 of them were for strikes. Fernandez made just one mistake all game as he threw a fastball to Carlos Gonzalez who hit a no-doubter to right-center to give the Rockies their first run of the 2014 campaign.

The Marlins would open up the game in bottom of the fifth inning where Marcell Ozuna would start off the inning hitting a double down the third-base line on the first pitch he saw. Adeiny Hechavarria would single up the middle, driving in Ozuna to put the Marlins up 2-0. After a sacrifice bunt by Jose Fernandez and an infield base hit from Christian Yelich, Jorge De La Rosa would hit Jeff Baker as the bases were loaded for Giancarlo Stanton. Rockies skipper Walt Weiss would pull De La Rosa as he would proceed to show his frustration, throwing a chair and kicking a garbage can in the tunnel.

Wilton Lopez would come in with the bases loaded as he got Giancarlo Stanton to chop one down the first baseline but no one was covering first base so a run scored. Casey McGehee would add-on to the scoring parade, driving in a bases clearing three RBI double to put the Marlins up 6-0. All of those runs would be charged to Jorge De La Rosa who finished with a line of 4 1/3, four hits, five earned runs, two walks, and six strikeouts.

Chad Bettis would come in the ball game to spot Wilton Lopez in the eighth inning but ran into some trouble in his first outing. After a base hit by Adeiny Hechavarria, Christian Yelich would drive a pitch to left-center for an RBI double, pushing the Marlins lead to 8-1. After getting Jeff Baker to fly out to right-field, Giancarlo Stanton would drive a 2-0 fastball to right-field over Michael Cuddyer‘s head to add-on to the lead, 9-1. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, Casey McGehee would drive an RBI double in the right-center gap to give Miami a comfortable 10-1 lead and that would be the final.

The Colorado Rockies (0-1) will be back in action in-game two of a three-game series as new acquisition Brett Anderson will make his Rockies debut on the hill as he will go up against Marlins RHP Nate Eovaldi. First-pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM ET, 5:10 PM MT.