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Stanton hits No. 53, Marlins overpowered by Rendon, Murphy in loss to Nationals
MIAMI (AP) -- Giancarlo Stanton dented a television camera with his latest home run. Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy did their damage through more conventional methods.
Rendon drove in four runs, Murphy drove in three more and the Washington Nationals overcame Stanton's major league-leading 53rd home run to beat the Miami Marlins 7-2 on Monday night.
Combined, Rendon and Murphy -- who each homered early in the game and hit two-run doubles in the seventh as Washington broke it open -- were 6 for 9. The rest of the Nationals were 2 for 26.
"Our offense came to life tonight, especially Murph and Rendon," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "They've been there all year but they had big nights, which is a big help for us."
Stanton's homer struck a TV camera just over the wall in right. But that wasn't enough to keep the Marlins from losing for the seventh time in their last eight games.
"We seem a little tired," said Stanton, who didn't know the homer hit the camera until being informed postgame.
A.J. Cole (2-4) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 5 2/3 innings to get the win. He struck out five and walked four while snapping a four-start losing streak.
"It starts with A.J. on the mound," Murphy said. "He threw the ball so well tonight. It's a really difficult lineup to navigate. He threw the ball really well. It was a great start."
Adam Conley (6-7) continued his Marlins Park struggles. He gave up four hits and three runs in four innings, and his home ERA this season actually dipped a tiny bit to 7.56. On the road, his ERA is 2.89.
"I thought they had great at-bats," Conley said. "I threw some really good changeups early, kind of borderline pitches that weren't called strikes. Not that I think they should have been; I'm just saying I did what I wanted to do."
Raudy Read got his first big league hit for Washington, a seventh-inning chopper off the glove of reliever Jarlin Garcia -- who was charged with four runs and recorded only one out.
Washington's magic number for clinching the NL East is now down to 10.
LOTS OF GEMS
Nationals center fielder Michael A. Taylor started an 8-4 double play in the second inning when he sprinted to snare Dee Gordon's tailing liner to short center and then caught Brian Anderson too far off the bag at second. The next two batters also were denied by sensational catches -- Miami's Christian Yelich leaped to grab Trea Turner's fly to the wall in center leading off the third, and Howie Kendrick was then robbed by a sliding Stanton in right field.
The run of great catches ended there, when Murphy connected on his 21st home run -- one that sailed into the Marlins' bullpen.
WHOOPS
Washington had two errors in the first inning, both on throws. The Nationals had two errors in their last 14 games entering Monday, and hadn't had a two-error inning since July 14.
DEE-NIED
Gordon lost his streak of seven consecutive multihit games. He went 1 for 4, and ended the game in the on-deck circle.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Erick Fedde (right forearm flexor strain) went on the 10-day disabled list. Washington also recalled C Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse.
Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (left elbow), who hasn't pitched since May 1, was reinstated from the DL. He'll be in the bullpen for now, and made his first career relief appearance in the eighth -- working a perfect inning. ... 1B Justin Bour (right oblique strain) played another rehab game for Double-A Jacksonville, and could return to Miami later this week.
UP NEXT
RHP Stephen Strasburg (11-4, 2.90 ERA) starts for Washington against Miami RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (0-2, 4.13 ERA) as the series continues on Tuesday night.
