Although not officially the game winner, Giancarlo Stanton's solo home run helped the Miami Marlins defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 Thursday afternoon. Stanton drove in two runs on the day.
Stanton started the scoring with a mammoth solo shot (2) off Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright. The ball landed on the patio of the clubhouse well behind the left-center field wall.
Stanton then drove in Dee Gordon in the third with a double to left to break a 1-1 tie. If Stanton had any concerns about stepping into the batter's box after taking a fastball to the jaw to end his season last September 11, those concerns are most likely gone by now. Later in the third, Ichiro Suzuki drew a bases-loaded walk to force Stanton home with the eventual game-winning run.
Miami added single runs in the fourth (Christian Yelich RBI single) and ninth (Don Kelly RBI single).
St. Louis scored single runs in the first, third, and fourth. Jason Heyward followed Stanton's home run with a solo shot (1) of his own in the bottom of the first to tie the game. Matt Holliday drove home Matt Carpenter with a single in the third, and Stephen Piscotty doubled home Jordany Valdespin in the fourth. However, St. Louis could not tie the game again once Miami took the lead in the third.
Henderson Alvarez (W: 1-1, 5.54 ERA) started for Miami. He lasted three innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one. Tyler Kinley (S: 1) was the fifth Marlins pitcher. He threw a three-pitch perfect inning to notch the save.
Wainwright (0-1, 4.70) lasted 3 2/3 innings in his second spring start. He allowed four earned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out two. He is recovering from an abdominal strain, but all signs indicate he will make his scheduled Opening Night start against the Chicago Cubs on April 5.
Both teams have home games Friday with Atlanta playing the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis using a split squad against the New York Mets. The Cardinals will send their other split squad to visit the Washington Nationals. All games will begin at 1:05 p.m. EDT.