Marlins 5, Astros 0
Brad Hand earned his first major league win with seven dominant innings and Mike Stanton homered for the second straight night to lead the Florida Marlins to a 5-0 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Thursday.
Logan Morrison added two hits and two RBIs and Emilio Bonifacio chipped in three hits for the Marlins, who improved to 4-3 in July after winning only five times in June.
Hand (1-3) yielded just two hits and walked three in his longest outing since being recalled from the minors. The 21-year-old lefthander did not allow a hit until Clint Barmes singled with one out in the fifth.
Stanton gave Hand all the support he would need in the second when he came up with Mike Cameron on first and drove a 2-2 offering from J.A. Happ deep into the stands in left field for his 18th blast.
Happ (3-11) struggled with his command through 5 2/3 innings, issuing seven walks. The lefthander was charged with five earned runs for the fourth straight start and has not won since May 14.