By The Fish Pond

SAN DIEGO — Chalk up Friday as an off night for Jose Fernandez and the Marlins.

As it turns out, there was a reason why Miami’s 21-year-old wasn’t himself. He was dealing with an upset stomach. In warmups, he wasn’t at his best.

And literally, as San Diego’s Tyson Ross was pitching in the top of the first inning, Fernandez threw up in a trash can in the tunnel leading into the visiting dugout.

“I wasn’t feeling well,” Fernandez said on Saturday afternoon.

Fernandez makes it clear he isn’t making any excuses for one of the worst performances of the season. The right-hander gave up six runs (five earned) in five-plus innings. He gave up two home runs to Jedd Gyorko, including a grand slam in the sixth inning.

Fernandez, a bit uneasy on the mound in the first inning, retired the side in order. In the second inning, he felt a bit better. Gyorko connected on a two-run homer in the second inning.

The Padres cruised to a 10–1 win.

On the rough night, Fernandez’s velocity was down. He did reach 97 mph in the game, but his fastball was mostly in the 91–93 mph range.

Physically, Fernandez insists his arm is fine, and he is set to start at the Dodgers on Wednesday.

“In the bullpen he wasn’t exactly himself,” catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. “He said his stomach was bothering him. That’s what I kind of chalked it up as. The biggest thing was just location. He was missing his fastball, slider.”

Fernandez feels he ate something that upset his stomach before Friday’s start. Before every road start, he has a steak. He says the meal didn’t agree with him.

“It probably was something I ate,” Fernandez said. “By the second inning, I was like, ‘I’m back at it again.’

— Joe Frisaro