Stanton pads impressive Dodger Stadium resume

LOS ANGELES -- Give Giancarlo Stanton a second chance and the three-time All-Star is likely to make you pay. The Marlins right fielder did just that on Monday in a 3-2 win over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
Stanton blasted a home run in the fourth inning off Ross Stripling, and capitalized after a Los Angeles miscue by lacing an RBI double in the fifth inning to provide a big boost in Miami taking the series opener.
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"It's nice to get the big boy going, that's for sure," manager Don Mattingly said. "You could see it coming the last few days. That ball he hit into right-center was just a missile. The home run is always pretty, but that one to right-center was a missile."

After showing signs of snapping out of his slump on Sunday with a home run and three hits in a 5-4 win at San Francisco, Stanton continued to produce on Monday.
"The past couple games, everyone has contributed," Stanton said. "When you've got top to bottom, it's tough to manage against."
Stanton's home run to left in the fourth inning was more majestic than tape-measured. Statcast™ projected it to travel 384 feet from home plate with an exit velocity of 98 mph.
The shot gave the Marlins an early lead, but after the Dodgers responded with solo homers from Yasiel Puig and Trayce Thompson in the bottom of the inning, Miami was playing catchup in the fifth.
Stripling retired the first two in the fifth before Christian Yelich singled. Stanton then lofted a foul ball near the seats. Yasmani Grandal, a catcher getting the start at first as Adrian Gonzalez was given a breather, drifted into foul territory, but was unable to make the play.

With new life, Stanton blistered his RBI double to right-center, scoring Yelich from first with the tying run. Statcast™ had the exit velocity on the double at 116 mph.
"They hit a lot of hard balls tonight. I think that showed that I wasn't as sharp as I typically am," Stripling said. "I really didn't throw any good curveballs on the night, as Stanton showed. I just battled."
The Marlins haven't had many breaks go their way this season, reflected by their 7-11 record. But Stanton cashing in on his second chance was an encouraging sign.
"You've got to," Stanton said. "It's too tough not to when you get another chance at it."
Stanton, a native of Sherman Oaks, Calif., continued his hot hitting at Dodger Stadium, a place he has homered at seven times in 16 games.
"I think that would get anyone amped up, the team you watched growing up," Stanton said. "Always a good time coming here. I've been here a few more times than every other ballpark. Maybe this one and our home stadium are about the same. It's always fun."