Stanton homers, Marlins topple Mets

MIAMI >> Giancarlo Stanton homered and had his first four-hit game since 2012, driving in three runs to give Jose Fernandez all the support he needed, and the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 7-2 on Saturday night.

Miami rocked Jacob deGrom (6-5), who allowed 10 hits and five runs, both season highs, and lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his shortest outing since August.

Fernandez (12-4) gave up two runs in seven innings to match his career high for victories, achieved in his 2013 rookie season. He also had two hits, hiking his average to .265, and drove in the first run.

Fernandez improved to 26-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 37 starts at Marlins Park.

Home Run Derby winner Stanton put Miami ahead to stay in the third inning when he hit a majestic two-run homer off the left-field scoreboard above the 401-foot sign. He added an RBI single in the fourth, and singled in the first and sixth, hiking his average to .241 after a prolonged slump.

DeGrom was coming off the first complete game of his career, a one-hit shutout in his last start, but his anticipated pitcher’s duel with Fernandez failed to materialize. The Mets righthander allowed at least two baserunners in every inning he worked, and his ERA rose to 2.73.

DeGrom’s best moment came at the plate, where he doubled to lead off the third, his first extra-base hit since July 2015. He scored on a single by Yoenis Cespedes, and James Loney’s sacrifice fly gave the Mets a 2-1 lead.

But that was all they managed against Fernandez. He hit 99 mph in the first inning, and his final pitch was a 98-mph fastball to Cespedes for strike three.

Christian Yelich led off the Miami third with a single, and Stanton dented the scoreboard with a homer that landed between the words BALLS and STRIKES. Stanton has six homers in 10 games against the Mets this year, including three this month off deGrom.

Yelich had three of the Marlins’ 16 hits, and Martin Prado drove in two runs.