Giancarlo Stanton homers again, Adam Conley sharp again in Marlins loss to Twins
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- Giancarlo Stanton hit his second home run in as many days, a blast that bounced off the roof and over the clubhouse in left field, that was easily the highlight of the Miami Marlins' 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.
The Marlins' rightfielder and 2014 National League home run champion crushed a Tommy Milone cutter as part of a 2-for-3 afternoon that raised his spring batting average to .300.
Sitting under a tent that temporarily resides behind the two-story Marlins clubhouse, which sits beyond the left field wall of Roger Dean Stadium, Terrence Floyd didn't figure to be in line for a souvenir.
"I looked up and it was right there," said Floyd, who was waiting outside the clubhouse for Marlins pitcher Edwin Jackson, a former high school teammate. "I was like whoever hit this, boy they must have been mad."
Stanton's sixth-inning homer gave Miami a 2-1 lead.
"It's fun, I admit it," Stanton said. "I'm not going to downplay anything, I'll just downplay that it's spring training, but to do that for a crowd to help a team is awesome."
As much fun as everyone had admiring the shot, Stanton insisted that making hard contact, not monster home runs, continues to be his focus.
"If I get caught up in those and I try to hit it farther and farther because I know that there could be a possibility of it, that brings me out of my game."
The Marlins extended the lead to 3-1 before Brad Hand surrendered four runs in the eighth.
Oswaldo Arcia boosted his struggling spring numbers by hitting two home runs and his two-run shot in eighth was the big blow.
Danny Santana tripled as part of a two-hit afternoon and drove in two runs.
STARTING TIME
Marlins: Adam Conley struggled in the second and third innings before ultimately recovering to toss five innings of one-run ball, allowing one run on two hits and two walks. He struck out four while throwing 52 of his 80 pitches for strikes.
Twins: Both runs surrendered by Milone came on Stanton's home run. Other than that, the lefty had another solid outing in his bid to leave camp as a part of Minnesota's rotation.
"He's had a good spring," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "He's throwing the ball really well. He's a command guy. We all know he's not a hard thrower, but he's done his part so far in camp."
NIGHT FEVER
First pitch for Miami's next two games is scheduled for 7:05 on Friday and 6:05 on Saturday. If manager Don Mattingly had his druthers, teams would play the final week of their spring training schedule at night.
"It helps everyone from the standpoint of recovery," Mattingly said. "Then guys are starting to pack up and get ready to go, they can do that during the day and then come here refreshed, and then get on a night schedule, because that's pretty much what you'll be playing (during the season)."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Marcell Ozuna was back in the lineup on Thursday, going 1 for 2 with a walk. Ozuna injured his ankle on a slide in Tuesday's game and was a late scratch from Wednesday's starting line-up.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Miami will send David Phelps to the mound on Friday when Washington comes to Jupiter.
Twins: Ervin Santanta will take the mound for Minnesota when Tampa Bay visits Fort Myers.
