- Associated Press - Wednesday, March 18, 2015

JUPITER, Fla. — Giancarlo Stanton homered for the first time since he was beaned last September, part of a three-hit game that helped the Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals, 5-4, on Wednesday.

Stanton doubled in the first inning against Doug Fister, had an RBI single that made it 2-0 in the third and tied the score at 3 when he homered leading off the sixth against Casey Janssen.

“Today was a good day, obviously,” said Stanton, who is hitting .286 with six RBI in the exhibition season.

Stanton’s 2014 season ended Sept. 11 when he was hit on the face by a Mike Fiers fastball at Milwaukee. Stanton sustained facial fractures, dental damages, cuts that required stitches, two black eyes and concussion symptoms.

During the offseason, the Marlins gave him a record $325 million, 13-year contract.

“He looks great,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “He looks confident. His swings look good.”

Miami starter Mat Latos retired his first nine batters before allowing a pair of runs in the fourth when Dan Uggla hit a ground-rule RBI to right, stole third and scored on Ryan Zimmerman’s groundout.

“I felt good,” said Latos, who struck out three and threw 36 of 47 pitches for strikes. “I felt like I got in a groove early and got comfortable.”

Fister allowed two runs and six hits in four innings.

“I know that if I can command my sinker and make sure that I have that under control, everything else will fall into place,” Fister said. “That’s just something I need to work on right now.”

Clint Robinson homered on the first pitch of Sam Dyson in the fifth for a 3-2 lead.

Jhonatan Solano singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth.

In other Nationals news, second baseman Yunel Escobar, who has a left oblique strain, took swings off a tee and fielded ground balls at the team’s spring training complex in Viera. Williams said Escobar could play in a minor league game next week.

Meanwhile, third baseman Anthony Rendon experienced tightness when running on the treadmill Tuesday, but his leg loosened as he warmed up. Williams said the club intended to push Rendon a little more on Wednesday to help him get over a left MCL strain.

The team also optioned pitcher A.J. Cole to Triple-A Syracuse.

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