side linebackers Jake Ryan (ankle), who returned last week from a

MIAMI -- The first time Jose Fernandez faced Aledmys Diaz on Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals slugger fouled the first pitch off with a mighty swing.I told him, `Really? Youre going to swing first pitch like that? Fernandez said. That swing had a lot of bad intentions.It was a sign of things to come. Diaz homered, doubled and drove in three runs in the first-ever meeting between the two childhood pals from Cuba, helping the Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 5-4.Fernandez fell behind 5-0, departed after five innings and dropped to 26-2 at Marlins Park.I made some mistakes and they took advantage. Thats on me, he said. Every time you get four runs and have your ace on the mound, you should expect to win.Miamis Dee Gordon, the 2015 NL batting and stolen bases champion, returned from an 80-game suspension for failing a drug test and went 0 for 4. Ichiro Suzuki doubled as a pinch hitter in the seventh for Miami and needs two hits for 3,000.Michael Wacha (6-7) allowed three runs in six innings, and three relievers completed an eight-hitter. Seung Hwan Oh pitched around a one-out single in the ninth for his seventh save.Diaz and Matt Holliday homered in the third inning against Fernandez (12-5), who had never previously given up more than one homer in a home game.That was a lot of fun to compete against my buddy, Diaz said. I just tried to be aggressive with him, hes such a great pitcher.Fernandezs only other loss at Marlins Park came on opening day this year against Detroit.Diaz and Fernandez were neighbors growing up in Santa Clara, Cuba, and the Cardinals enjoyed their reunion. Fernandez walked Jeremy Hazelbaker to start the third inning, and Diaz followed with his 14th homer.This guy wants to hit it 10,000 feet, Fernandez said. Hes helping his team win. You cant get mad about that.Two batters later, Holliday hit his 18th homer just inside the right-field foul pole, prompting a rueful grin from Fernandez. The outing was his shortest since May 4.The Cardinals homered in 17 consecutive games before being blanked in that department Wednesday.Hazelbaker tripled and Diaz drove in a run with a double, his 25th, in the Cardinals two-run fifth.UNDER SIEGEMarcell Ozell hit comebackers off Wacha (right foot) and Oh (left buttocks). Both stayed in the game. Its the third game in a row Wacha has been hit on the right foot.Its got a bulls-eye on it, Wacha said.BALK REVERSALThe umpires said they erroneously reversed a balk call, taking a Cardinals run off the board in the second inning.With runners at second and third and two out, Fernandez was about to intentionally walk No. 8 hitter Kolten Wong when third base umpire D.J. Reyburn called a balk. Fernandez protested, and after the four umpires conferred, they reversed the call and decided there was no balk.Wacha struck out to end the inning and keep the game scoreless. After the game, crew chief John Hirshbeck reviewed video and decided Reyburns balk call had been correct.D.J. called it from third, and I thought I saw (Fernandez) step off with his right foot, Hirshbeck said. I overruled D.J. with what I thought I saw. He was right, I was wrong.SUZUKI UPDATESuzuki received a standing ovation when he pinch-hit, and he responded with his 350th career double, raising his season average to .335. He has started only one of seven games on the homestand.I dont think hes searching to make this about him, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. I think hes comfortable with the way were playing it.CARDINALS ROTATIONCardinals LHP Jaime Garcia will start Saturday on four days rest, manager Mike Matheny said. Garcia threw 77 pitches Tuesday, when he gave up two earned runs in five innings and lost to the Mets.TRAINERS ROOMRHP Lance Lynn, who underwent Tommy John surgery in November, threw to hitters again Thursday, and the Cardinals havent ruled out his return this season.UP NEXTCardinals RHP Mike Leake (7-8, 4.24), who is scheduled to start Friday, is 3-0 with an 0.44 ERA in three starts at Marlins Park. RHP Jose Urena (1-2, 5.34) will start for Miami. Devin Booker Suns Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Deandre Ayton Jersey . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Jason-Kidd-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. Dragan Bender Suns Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Steve Nash Suns Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Two weeks ago, when the Green Bay Packers were scuffling along at 4-6, quarterback Aaron Rodgers made a bold proclamation.I feel like we can run the table, Rodgers said on Nov. 23.With victories over Philadelphia and Houston the past two weeks, the Packers are one-third of the way to that target. Sundays game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) looms as by far the biggest barrier.Green Bay (6-6) remains two games behind Detroit in the NFC North but has gotten back into the wild-card chase, where it trails Tampa Bay (7-5) by one game.I think theres a lot of confidence in the locker room, Rodgers said Wednesday. I think guys really believe that this team has the potential to make a run. Weve shown it the last two weeks -- a tough road win and then holding serve at home.But, obviously, this is a little bigger game with the opponent. As every game progresses, theres more on the line for us to play for. So Im confident in the guys that were up to the challenge.With Dallas (11-1) running away in the NFC race for home-field advantage, Seattle (8-3-1) is battling Detroit (8-4) for a first-round bye. The Seahawks have won four of their last five games, including a blowout of Carolina on Sunday night in which Russell Wilson threw for 277 yards and Thomas Rawls ran for 106 of the teams 240 rushing yards.While the Seahawks appear to be surging, they did suffer a significant loss when safety Earl Thomas sustained a broken leg against the Panthers. Steven Terrell is expected to replace Thomas.The Seahawks are still confident that the beat will go on for a defense that is trying to lead the NFL in points allowed for the fifth consecutive season, which would be unprecedented in the Super Bowl era.A team thats not great, they try to have everyone lift their play and do more than what theyre supposed to do, said Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, who returned last week after missing five games with a knee injury. When youve got people behind them, you expect them to do their job. We expect wwhoever plays where Earl is, theyre going to do their job.ddddddddddddNobodys going to try to do more than what theyre supposed to do, and thats how you play great defense.The Packers no doubt will test Thomas replacement, but within reason.The way he plays the position is extraordinary, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. He has tremendous range, anticipation and hes a big part of their leadership of the football team.You have to look at how the new guys going to fit in, but were not going to drop back and throw 50-yard post routes all day because theyve got a new free safety. I dont think thats practical.Injuries will be a major storyline for the Packers, too. Starting outside linebacker Nick Perry, the teams leader with eight sacks, has been ruled out with an injured left hand.Fellow starter Clay Matthews, to use McCarthys words, was extremely limited against the Texans with an injured shoulder. Starting inside linebackers Jake Ryan (ankle), who returned last week from a two-game absence, and Blake Martinez (knee), who has missed the past two games, are ailing, too.Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is battling a hamstring injury -- not particularly good news for the Packers, considering Seattle ranks fourth in the league with 31 sacks.After a relatively slow start to the season, Rodgers is heating up in the nick of time. In the past seven games, he leads the NFL in touchdown passes and 100-plus rating games.Weve watched him all year, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. Hes being what he is. Hes an extraordinary football player, a great leader, an amazing competitor, such a creative player.This isnt a new guy to me. We played him back when he was in college a lot. Feel very familiar with him and have watched his career. If you want to break up this season by what he did early and what he did late, hes a great football player and, because of that, hes going to wind up showing you that if you watch him enough. ' ' '