Stanton slugs game-winning homer to top Crew

MIAMI -- As slugger Giancarlo Stanton's go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning cleared the wall in left-center field, Miami's dugout erupted in celebration.

For Stanton, who missed 36 games with a right hamstring strain, it proved to be a moment long overdue after watching his team flounder without him.

His late-game heroics powered the Marlins to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Brewers Tuesday night in front of 13,110 at Marlins Park.

Stanton's fourth dinger of the season came on the first pitch -- a slider -- from right-hander Jim Henderson (2-2) with two outs. It was his second hit since returning from the disabled list on Monday. The game-winner plated Juan Pierre, who had knocked an infield single with one out.

"That's what they were doing all game, and I was pulling off everything," said Stanton, who finished 1-for-4. "I just really said whatever they do, keep your shoulder down and stay back and not come in the zone and out, which results in those end-of-the-bat nubbers or 15-hop ground balls."

It also served as redemption -- in Stanton's eyes -- for a play he made in the seventh inning.

Yuniesky Betancourt knocked an RBI triple off Marlins' starter Jacob Turner, which evened the score at 3. Stanton slid to stop the ball from rolling to the wall for extra bases, but couldn't corral it. The triple plated Rickie Weeks, who had a one-out walk.

Pinch-hitter Scooter Gennett's squeeze bunt drove in Betancourt to give the Crew a one-run lead.

Early on, it looked as though Miami's offense would make quick work of starter Wily Peralta, knocking him around for three runs in the second on five consecutive hits.

Marcell Ozuna singled up the middle and scored on Logan Morrison's double to left-center -- his first RBI since July 6, 2012, against the Cardinals. Derek Dietrich followed by blasting his sixth home run of the season into the upper deck in right field on a 1-0 pitch.

For only the third time this season, the Marlins produced a multi-homer game at home -- the last of which came April 28 against the Cubs, when Stanton hit two and Nick Green added one.

"It's a great night when you see that home run statue go off twice," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "That thing looks good. I love that thing."

After back-to-back singles by Adeiny Hechavarria and Jeff Mathis in the second, Turner grounded into a double play on a sacrifice bunt. Pierre lined out to Peralta to end the threat.

Peralta would go on to retire the next six batters in a row -- until Dietrich's one-out walk in the fourth -- and 13 of 14.

"Overall, I felt pretty good," said Peralta, who went six innings. "That second inning, they were aggressive, and I left a couple pitches up in the zone. After that, I was able to locate my slider and my fastball better."

Milwaukee trimmed the deficit to two in the fourth without the benefit of a hit, capitalizing on Turner's wildness for an unearned run.

Carlos Gomez struck out, but a wild pitch allowed him to reach. Aramis Ramirez then popped out to second. Turner's pickoff throw to get Gomez sailed into the outfield, and he advanced to third and scored on Jonathan Lucroy's sac fly to center.

The Brewers chipped away with another run in the sixth on Ramirez's RBI groundout to third, driving in Jean Segura, who collected a leadoff infield single. He had stolen his second base of the game and moved to third on Gomez's groundout to second.

"I felt like I did some things well," said Turner, who tied a career high with six strikeouts and walked two over seven innings. "I felt like some of the little things [I] probably need to do a little better. Got to get that bunt down, and a couple of my throws probably could've been a little bit better, but overall obviously we got the win, so it wasn't too bad."

Over his last eight Major League starts dating back to last year, he is 2-2 with 12 earned runs over 51 2/3 innings. It's a far cry from the pitcher that struggled in the spring, going 0-3 with a 9.69 ERA before being assigned to Triple-A New Orleans.

Right-hander Chad Qualls (2-0) and closer Steve Cishek pitched a perfect eighth and ninth, respectively. Cishek collected his seventh save and has not allowed a run in 10 career games against Milwaukee. He has also posted seven straight scoreless appearances at home dating back to May 18.

Miami improved to 4-37 when trailing after seven innings and 15-5 when outhitting its opponent. Since 2010, the Marlins are 181-214 with Stanton in the lineup and just 59-96 when he's not.

"That's what we're here for and what we need," Stanton said of his and Morrison's presence. "That's another reason why I was so upset earlier in the game, because I was bringing us down I felt like. You have to stay composed throughout the whole game and not give up if you do something wrong three times, four times. You may get another chance. It's the big leagues -- you don't always, but today I did."