Stanton's moonshot home run lifts Marlins over Nationals
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Giancarlo Stanton hit his career-high and major league-leading 38th home run of the season and drove in three runs as the Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 7-3 on Tuesday night.
Stanton crushed a first-pitch fastball from A.J. Cole (1-2) deep into the center-field stands in the fifth for a 4-1 lead following singles by Miguel Rojas and Dee Gordon.
Derek Dietrich also homered and drove in three runs for the Marlins, who scored seven runs on six hits. Gordon's RBI double and Dietrich's two-run single put Miami up 7-1 in the seventh.
Vance Worley (2-2) thwarted the Nationals for the second time in nine days. He allowed one run on six hits over six innings after holding Washington to two hits during seven shutout frames in Miami's 7-0 win on July 31.
Bryce Harper went hitless but drove in two runs for Washington. Miami, 53-58 overall, leads the season series with the NL East leaders 6-5.
Stanton's hit 37 home runs in 2012 and 2014. The slugger has 31 home runs all-time against Washington and his 18 at Nationals Park are the most by any visiting player.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is second in homers this season with 35.
Worley and Cole faced off Wednesday in Miami with Cole surrendering five runs in five innings. He fared better in the rematch, but the result remained the same. Cole struck out three of the first five batters and held Miami without a hit for 3 2-3 innings until Dietrich's homer. The right-hander allowed four runs in five innings with five strikeouts.
Washington put two runners on in three of the opening five innings in the rematch, but couldn't deliver a big hit against Worley.
All-Star Ryan Zimmerman grounded into an inning-ending double play with two runners on in the fifth. The All-Star finished 0 for 4 and is batting .076 (2 for 27) since July 31.
Harper knocked in runs with a third-inning grounder and sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Adrian Sanchez had three hits including an RBI single off Dustin McGowan during Washington's two-run seventh inning, but he was doubled off first base following Ichiro Suzuki's sliding catch in left field. Brian Goodwin also had three hits.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Miami placed LHP Chris O'Grady on the 10-day DL with a strained right oblique and recalled RHP Javy Guerra from AAA-New Orleans. O'Grady (2-1, 5.47 ERA) started Monday's game, but was pulled in the second inning and had an MRI Tuesday.
Nationals: Manager Dusty Baker said he's hopeful INF Howie Kendrick (back stiffness) can return to the lineup Wednesday after being pulled in Monday's win.
UP NEXT
Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (4-4, 5.10) is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts against Washington.
Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (9-5, 2.66) held the Marlins hitless through eight innings and finished with a one-hit shutout in Washington's 1-0 on July 31.
