Belt Belts One Again As Giants Stay Hot, Beat Dodgers

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brandon Belt homered for the fourth time in six games and scored the tiebreaking run on Brandon Crawford's single in the sixth, lifting the San Francisco Giants over the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.

Buster Posey added two hits and Ty Blach (1-2) pitched seven innings, spoiling Dodgers starter Rich Hill's return from the disabled list. Blach allowed one run, five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

San Francisco improved to 5-1 on its homestand after a sluggish nine-game road trip when manager Bruce Bochy's ballclub won only three games.

Belt, who hit his eighth home run of the season leading off the fourth, singled against the shift to open the sixth. After Belt advanced on a wild pitch, Crawford followed with a single off Luis Avilan (0-1) to short right-center to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.

Hunter Strickland retired three batters and Derek Law pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Chris Taylor hit his fourth home run of the season for Los Angeles.

Activated off the disabled list before the game after missing more than four weeks due to a blister on his finger, Hill got off to a shaky start in his first appearance since April 16.

The lefty hit leadoff man Denard Span in the batting helmet with a 73 mph curve on his fifth pitch of the first inning, then was called for a balk moments later. Hill settled down to get through five innings while allowing one run and six hits with six strikeouts.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Grant Dayton was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma to make room for Hill.

Giants: Span was checked by head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner and remained in the game. ... Closer Mark Melancon is expected to come off the disabled list Friday when San Francisco opens a three-game series in St. Louis. Melancon did some light throwing before Tuesday's game after a 22-pitch bullpen a day earlier. ... 2B Joe Panik was not in the starting lineup.

UP NEXT

Left-hander Clayton Kershaw (6-2), who has a career 1.66 ERA in 38 appearances against San Francisco, starts for the Dodgers in the afternoon finale on Wednesday while the Giants counter with right-hander Johnny Cueto (4-2). Cueto outdueled Kershaw and got the win when the two teams played May 1.