See Marlins' emotional lead-off homer as they mourn Fernandez
MIAMI - Dee Gordon and the Miami Marlins wore their emotions on the sleeves of their No. 16 jerseys.
Jose Fernandez would have loved it.
Gordon homered leading off the first inning for the Marlins, who totaled 14 hits and mixed cheers with the tears of the past two days by beating the New York Mets 7-3 on Monday night in their first game since Fernandez died in a boating accident.
Adam Conley pitched three scoreless innings subbing for Fernandez, who had been scheduled to make his final start of the year. Justin Bour went 3 for 3 and Gordon had four hits, including one that will go down in Marlins lore.
Paying tribute to their charismatic ace, the left-handed-hitting Gordon stepped to the plate as a righty leading off the first. After one pitch, Gordon switched to his customary left side - and pulled a 2-0 delivery into the upper deck for his first homer of the season.
The improbable clout brought tears, even from Gordon. After crossing the plate he tapped his chest and waved toward the sky, and he sobbed as teammates hugged him in the dugout.
Each of the Marlins wore black jerseys bearing Fernandez's No. 16 and name, a tribute they had suggested. Giancarlo Stanton delivered an emotional speech as the entire team gathered at the mound moments before the game, and then contributed a hit, a run and a running, lunging backhanded catch in right field to rob Jay Bruce.