Jose Fernandez hardly looked like a rookie in his All-Star debut.
But that's little surprise to Miami Marlins fans.
Fernandez entered Tuesday night's All-Star Game to start the sixth inning with the National League trailing the American League 2-0 at New York's Citi Field. The 20-year-old Cuban defector exited after retiring the NL in order, including two strikeouts.
Boston' Dustin Pedroia, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera and Baltimore's Chris Davis were the first three batters due up in the sixth.
In other words, Fernandez prepared to face a scrappy .316 hitter, last year's AL Triple Crown winner and this year's major league home run leader.
Fernandez proceeded to dispose of them 1-2-3 on 13 pitches, including nine strikes.
Throwing to San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, Fernandez struck out Pedroia looking with a four-seam fastball. The Red Sox second baseman took one swing, missing a 2-1 fastball.
Cabrera, a member of the Marlins '03 World Series-winning team. fouled off two fastballs before fouling out to Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
Davis swung and missed a nasty 2-2 curveball.
Cabrera's three foul balls were the only Fernandez pitches to be hit.
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.
