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 And the Chicago Cubs right fielder didn't do right by his manager,
either.
Giancarlo Stanton and Jeff Baker hit back-to-back homers as Miami
defeated Chicago 7-3 at Marlins Park, but it was Lake's theatrical
reaction to his two-run homer in the sixth inning that started a
benches-clearing confrontation.
"That guy has hit like 10 home runs in his career and his team is
trailing 6-0," said Miami starter Dan Haren, who was among the many
Marlins who took exception to Lake's act. "I think if you ask his
team, they would be embarrassed (by the display). It was
disrespectful.
"I don't know if it was his first home run of the year or second (it
was his first). Congratulations to him. I've given up about 500 home
runs in my career ... big deal."
The fireworks actually started in the fifth when the Marlins hit
three straight balls in a span of six pitches either over the fence
in left or off the wall in right.
Stanton, Miami's right fielder, hit his 17th homer of the season.
Baker, the first baseman, followed with his second homer and center
fielder Marcell Ozuna doubled off the fence in right.
Ozuna was stranded, but the Marlins took a 6-0 lead into the sixth.
That's when Lake drilled his homer to left, sparking the hostilities
by staying at home plate for a few seconds to admire his work.
As Lake rounded third, he looked toward the Marlins dugout and
gestured for them to "shush." That infuriated Marlins pitcher Jose
Fernandez, who is on the disabled list because of elbow surgery yet
athletically leaped over the fence and ran onto the field to
confront Lake in a profanity-laced tirade.
No punches were thrown, and Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro tripled in
the next at-bat, coming around to score to cut the Cubs' deficit to
6-3.
Haren said Fernandez is "passionate" and added that his teammate's
involvement might cost "a few thousand bucks" in fines.
Fernandez was contrite after the game.
"I probably shouldn't have gone on the field," he said. "But (Lake)
went over the line, and emotions took over. I'm not trying to fight
anybody. We're not boxing or the UFC."
Lake said the bad feelings started when Mat Latos, another Marlins
pitcher on the disabled list, screamed at him.
"He was talking at me hard," Lake said in Spanish. "No man likes
that.
"I understand I was wrong. I apologize to the pitcher and the
players. But when one man screams at another, you don't like that.
... Fear, I don't know what that is, especially for another man."
Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he spoke to Lake during the game.
Maddon said he also apologized to Marlins pitching coach Chuck
Hernandez.
"We don't do that here, and that's the last time you will see it,"
Maddon said in regard to Lake's antics. "During the scrum, I told
Chuck Hernandez -- because that's who I saw -- I said, 'It's our
fault. We'll take care of it.' That's it.
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"I don't to want to take the fight there by acting like a punk. I
don't want us to take a page out of "Major League" and flamboyantly
flip the bat after a long home run. For our minor-league guys
watching, don't do that - it's not cool."
After order was restored, Miami (22-32) held on to take two of three
games from Chicago (27-24).
Haren (6-2) got the win, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing three
runs.
Cubs left-hander Jon Lester (4-4) took the loss, allowing nine hits
and six runs in five innings.
Miami opened the scoring with a four-run second, a rally that was
set up by singles from Ozuna and left fielder Ichiro Suzuki.
The Marlins cashed in on an RBI double by catcher J.T. Realmuto and
a run-scoring single from shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria.
The inning appeared to be over when Castro threw out Marlins second
baseman Dee Gordon at first for the final out of the inning. But the
Marlins appealed the ruling and the call was overturned, giving
Miami a 3-0 lead.
Third baseman Martin Prado's RBI single capped the inning. Prado
added another RBI single in the sixth.
Marlins manager Dan Jennings was ejected in the eighth for arguing a
check-swing call that went the Cubs' way.
"Sometimes that's what a team needs -- benches clearing and a
manager getting tossed out," Haren said. "(Jennings) was impressive.
He did a good job."
NOTES: Cubs RF Jorge Soler (left ankle) was placed on the 15-day
disabled list. ... Of the eight players leading the fan voting to
start for the NL All-Star team, two of them play for the Marlins --
RF Giancarlo Stanton and 2B Dee Gordon. ... Entering Wednesday,
Stanton had 170 homers in 686 games, tying him with Harmon Killebrew
for the fifth-best HR pace to start a career. Ryan Howard tops the
list with 207 homers. ... Gordon entered Wednesday leading the
majors with 79 hits and a .367 batting average. ... Cubs prospect
Javier Baez, who normally plays second base or shortstop, will get
work at third at Triple-A Iowa. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant, who played left
field on Tuesday, could eventually shift to the outfield to make way
for Baez, a first-round pick in 2011 who is hitting .351 with four
homers in his last 10 games at Iowa.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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