Puerto Rican right fielder Giancarlo Stanton broke a 21-year-old franchise single-season record as he hit his 43rd home run of the season in the Miami’s Marlins 8-3 win over the San Francisco Giants.
Stanton, who was told before the game that he won the Player of the Week Award, has homered in five consecutive games to break Gary Sheffield’s 1996 record of 42 homers in a single season for the Marlins.
The Marlins’ right fielder won the award after hitting six home runs in the last week to bring his major leading total to 43.
It is the fifth time Stanton wins the Player of the Week award. The 27-year-old has already won it in July 2016, June 2015, August 2012 and August 2010.
The Marlins star, who has blasted 22 homers in his last 34 games, also set a team record of consecutive games with a home run.
Stanton hit the record-breaking homer off starter Ty Blach in the first inning with a man on base to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead. The right fielder went 2 for 4 and finished the game with three RBIs.
Left fielder Marcell Ozuna hit a solo homer in the fifth inning off Blach to bring his total to 27 and give Miami a 6-3 lead.
Blach, who allowed six earned runs fell to 8-8 with the loss. Adam Conley pitched 6.1 inning and struck three to get the win and improve to 5-5.
Last Sunday against Colorado’s Rockies, Stanton hit his 250th career home run to tie Sheffield as the all-time leader for the Marlins.
Stanton finished the week with .333 of batting average and a 1.037 of slugging percentage, along with 11 RBIs in seven games to lead the majors in homers and RBIs. In the National League, he was first in slugging and fourth in OPS with 1.416.
