Major League Baseball

Marlins' sweep overshadowed by Gordon's PED suspension

Published Apr. 29, 2016 3:48 a.m. ET

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LOS ANGELES (AP) Dee Gordon celebrated with the Miami Marlins following a huge four-game sweep.

It'll be his last time in uniform for a while.

Gordon was given an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs following the Marlins' 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

The announcement sucked all the euphoria out of manager Don Mattingly and the Marlins following the sweep. The team kept the doors closed to reporters for about 30 minutes after learning they'd be without the reigning National League batting champion for a few months.

''I'm shocked and surprised,'' Mattingly said of losing his second baseman and leadoff hitter. ''Obviously, it's two different ends of the spectrum for us. You would expect all these guys to be in here all excited - and then we get this news. So it's not quite the same feeling.''

Mattingly managed Gordon during his first three big league seasons in Los Angeles before he was traded to Miami in a seven-player deal in December 2014. Mattingly took over as Marlins manager prior to this season.

''These guys love Dee, and we're going to support him,'' Mattingly said. ''I feel like Dee's one of my kids, to be honest with you, because I've known him so long. So we're going to love him, and then we're going to support him. He's been a big part of the success that we've had.''

Miami President David Samson said the Marlins ''completely support the drug prevention program in every way.

''I don't like or condone what he did,'' Samson said. ''That said, Dee Gordon is a very important part of our team, and we all love him and support him.''

Gordon and Martin Prado drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with consecutive two-out singles in the seventh inning, and Miami got home runs from Giancarlo Stanton and J.T. Realmuto to pull within a game of .500.

Jose Fernandez (2-2) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, striking out eight and walking three. The right-hander was lifted for a pinch hitter during the Marlins' pivotal three-run rally.

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez came up with two men on base his first three times up and came up empty each time. Fernandez struck him out the first two times, then fielded a fifth-inning dribbler and tagged Gonzalez halfway up the first base line.

Kenta Maeda (3-1) was charged with four runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 innings in his fifth big league start after allowing just one run in 25 2/3 innings to begin his major league career.

The Japanese-born right-hander took a 2-1 lead into the seventh before Gordon chased him with his RBI single. Prado then greeted Pedro Baez with a first-pitch single, and the right-hander balked home Gordon with the Marlins' fourth run.

Stanton added his 18th homer in the eighth against Baez, and A.J. Ramos got three outs for his sixth save.

The Dodgers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first with Yasmani Grandal's double over the head of center fielder Ichiro Suzuki and a run-scoring infield hit by Yasiel Puig. Maeda struck out his first two batters in the second, but Realmuto lined the next pitch to right-center for his second homer of the season.

SPIKE MARKS

Marlins: During Miami manager Don Mattingly's five seasons as Dodgers skipper, they swept a four-game series twice - in August 2013 at Chicago, and June 2012 at Philadelphia. ... Suzuki started for the fourth time this season, going 0 for 4. The 2001 AL MVP and two-time batting champion needs 57 hits for 3,000 in the big leagues. ... Realmuto has a hit in all nine games he's played against the Dodgers, and is 14 for 32 altogether. ... Rookie RHP Kyle Barraclough has allowed no runs and three hits with 11 strikeouts in his first eight big league relief appearances.

Dodgers: This was the first time the Dodgers were swept in a four-game series at home since May 2012, by Milwaukee. ... Grandal started in the cleanup spot for the first time this season, becoming the fifth player manager Dave Roberts has used in the four hole through the first 23 games.

UP NEXT

Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (0-1) gets the assignment Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Milwaukee. He is 4-2 with a 4.04 ERA in 15 big league starts, including two no-decisions against the Brewers last season as a rookie.

Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (1-2) starts the opener of a three-game set with San Diego, coming off a no-decision at Colorado in which he gave up five runs in five innings before his teammates got him off the hook with five runs in the ninth and won 12-10. He won both of his starts against the Padres last season after his trade from the Braves to the Dodgers, allowing two runs over 14 innings.

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