Marlins Park able to contain Stanton's huge triple
Slugger's deep drive estimated at 424 feet, farther than 4 of his 5 homers this season
MIAMI -- Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton on Sunday introduced the tape-measured triple. It wasn't the bottom-line result the two-time All-Star envisioned when the ball came off his bat in the fifth inning, but it was an impressive drive nonetheless.
Stanton blasted a Gio Gonzalez pitch to the deepest part of Marlins Park, with the ball bouncing high off the wall in the cutout portion of center field. According to ESPN's Stats & Info, the estimated distance was 424 feet.
After the ball bounced into play, Martin Prado scored from first, and Stanton ended up at third base.
Had it left the park, it would have been career homer No. 160 for Stanton. Instead, it turned into the ninth triple in his career and third since 2012.
No Marlin has ever hit for the cycle, and Stanton hasn't been an ideal candidate to be the first because he rarely has three-base hits.
"If I ever want to go for the cycle, I know where to hit it," Stanton quipped about where to go for a triple.
Video: WSH@MIA: Stanton and Ramos discuss the Marlins' sweep
The Marlins had plenty to cheer about on Sunday, as they completed a three-game sweep of the Nationals, winning 6-2. They've now won five straight, and performing as many expected coming out of Spring Training.
Over the weekend, the Marlins won games in which the Nationals started Jordan Zimmermann on Friday, Stephen Strasburg on Saturday and Gonzalez on Sunday.
With the Marlins up one run in the fifth inning, Stanton's RBI triple made it 4-2, and the slugger scored on Marcell Ozuna's sacrifice fly, making it a three-run game.
"If that situation takes a run away from us, obviously, you want a homer off a triple, no doubt," Stanton said. "Still, I was able to score and we won. That's all you think about. I don't need to think about how far it was and blah blah."
Stanton has five homers on the season, with only one at Marlins Park. The estimated distance on his triple is farther than four of his homers. His longest drive is 456 feet on Tuesday at Philadelphia, according to ESPN Home Run Tracker.
Video: Must C Crushed: Stanton drills homer to upper bullpen
Did Stanton think the ball was gone on Sunday?
"You never know in center field here, it's like the Everglades," Stanton said.