Host Marlins rally past Rays, 7-6
Ichiro Suzuki had 4 hits, including a single in Miami’s 2-run eighth inning, and the Marlins rallied past the Tampa Bay Rays 7-6 Monday night. The 42-year-old Suzuki has 10 hits in the past 3 games to raise his average to .417 and increase his career hit total to 2,960. Marcell Ozuna, far right, had 3 hits for Miami, including his 9th homer.
Everything about Giancarlo Stanton is epic: his physique, his contract, the distance of his home runs. And his latest slump. The Marlins’ $325 million slugger began the week 1-for-21 over the last six games with one single, one walk and 17 strikeouts. His numbers over the last 15 games weren’t much better: 5for-52 with 28 strikeouts and one RBI.
“I keep working at it,” Stanton said before Monday night’s game against the Rays. “It’s not the ideal place I want to be. But as long as you don’t curl up into a ball, you’ll be all right.”
Manager Don Mattingly agreed.
“He’ll be fine,” Mattingly said. “He’s a guy I truly don’t worry about because I know the track record is there. It’s going to come around.”
During the slump, Stanton has been prone to swinging at outside breaking balls. He did manage a line-drive single Sunday to end an 0-for-19 drought.
Stanton began the week batting .211, but Mattingly has resisted the temptation to sit him for a game. The manager said his slugger looked more comfortable during last weekend’s series against the Nationals, and Stanton confirmed that was the case.
“I felt good and had a bad three days feeling good,” Stanton said. “It’s going to be magnified in times like this.”
With their cleanup hitter scuffling, the Marlins scored a total of 14 runs while losing series against the Nationals and Phillies.
“If I showed up the last two series, we probably would have won them,” Stanton said. “That’s a good and not-so-good sign at the same time.”
Stanton has 192 career homers but has always been a streaky hitter.