Stanton kept in park in Marlins' rout of Braves
MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton failed to hit his 60th homer in the Marlins' penultimate game of the season, but Miami still defeated the Atlanta Braves 10-2 on Saturday night at Marlins Park.
Stanton, who has 59 homers, went 1-for-5 with one RBI and two strikeouts. In his final at-bat of the night, he struck out looking at a 94-mph fastball on the outside corner from reliever Jim Johnson.
On Sunday, Stanton will get one more game in which to try to reach the magical mark of 60 homers as Miami (77-84) hosts Atlanta (71-90) in their regular-season finale.
One player did reach 60 on Saturday -- Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, who reached that total in steals. Gordon went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two steals. He also became only the fifth player in Marlins history to reach 200 hits in one season.
Other heroes for the Marlins were Derek Dietrich, who hit his 13th home run of the season with a three-run blast; and starter Odrisamer Despaigne (2-3), who struck out six, walked one and allowed two runs in seven innings.
Braves rookie right-hander Lucas Sims (3-6) lasted just two innings, his shortest start of the year. He allowed seven hits, four walks and six runs.
Sims got into trouble immediately, allowing a hit on the first batter he faced as Gordon doubled down the first-base line and came around to score on Justin Bour's sacrifice fly.
Miami kept that inning going with Dietrich's three-run homer, a shot just inside the foul pole in right field. Miguel Rojas capped the five-run rally with an RBI triple.
Rookie Brian Anderson hit a run-scoring double, giving Miami a 6-0 lead in the second. Miami stretched its lead to 8-0 in the fifth, getting RBI singles from Stanton and Christian Yelich.
Atlanta finally got on the board in the seventh, getting RBI singles from Dansby Swanson and Matt Adams.
Miami's Tyler Moore closed the scoring with a two-run single in the eighth.
NOTES: Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton and LF Marcell Ozuna are the first major league teammates to each have more than 120 RBIs in the same season since 2005. In that year, the feat was accomplished by Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox, and Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield of the New York Yankees. ... Braves RHP R.A. Dickey, 42, is pondering retirement. If he decides to return, the Braves can either exercise his 2018 option for $8 million or pay him a $500,000 buyout. Dickey told MLB.com his decision will be based on the wishes of his wife and four children. ... RHP Jose Urena (14-7, 3.77 ERA) tries to cap a breakthrough year when he pitches Miami's season finale Sunday. Atlanta will start rookie RHP Max Fried (1-1, 3.74).