By STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

MIAMI (AP) _ Since Giancarlo Stanton went on the disabled list, the Miami Marlins have gone 8-6, with their feeble offensive finally showing signs of life.

In 11 innings since an injury to All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon, Miami has scored 17 runs and celebrated two victories.

For the Marlins, nothing much goes according to expectations. They’ve been surprisingly bad, not an easy feat for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2003, and their 38-51 record is the third-worst in the majors.

But with Stanton and Gordon both sidelined, they played better, sustaining faint hopes the Marlins might yet make a run and show they underachieved in the first half of the year. The hole the Marlins dug is probably too deep to get back into playoff contention, however.