SF Giants: Brandon Belt continues hot streak in Tuesday’s Win

SF Giants First baseman Brandon Belt went 4-of-5 at the dish and finished a triple shy of the cycle in Tuesday’s win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Brandon Belt’s bat has heated up at the right time as the entire SF Giants roster has found their groove. Although Donovan Solano was the hero of Tuesday night’s victory, Belt has a solid argument after breaking out for his best game of the season. The 6-foot-3 first baseman went 4-of-5 at the plate and finished a triple shy of the cycle.

SF Giants Belt led the way on Tuesday

Belt reached base in his first five plate appearances. Manager Gabe Kapler didn’t have to wait long for him to get going. Belt launched the first pitch he saw, Tuesday night, to straightaway center field for a three-run homer to tie the game:

After walking in his next at-bat, he ignited the team with a fifth-inning RBI double which knocked Dodgers starter Julio Urias out of the contest. This helped the Giants regain a little momentum after falling behind by three runs for the second time in the game. Belt almost scored a run later in the frame as well. He advanced to third base on a wild pitch before Alex Dickerson grounded out to end the inning.

Belt singled as part of an attempted seventh-inning rally in which the Giants almost tied the contest with the heart of their order. Despite the team only scoring one run in a no-out, bases-loaded situation, the 6-foot-3 first baseman erased that memory from everyone’s minds in the ninth.

Belt’s game-tying homer to the same spot as his first-inning bomb was not only the second-biggest hit of the night behind Solano’s, but most likely the most important of the season at this point. The Colorado Rockies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres lost to the Seattle Mariners. The Giants were in a must-win scenario against the Dodgers in order to gain ground in the National League West division. The fact that Belt’s homer came against closer Kenley Jansen was impressive as well.

Belt’s impressive streak

Belt is hitting 12-of-20 (.600 batting average) during the Giants’ seven-game win streak with four doubles and two homers. He has driven in seven runs, crossed the plate six times and drawn four walks as well. Before striking out in the 11th inning of Tuesday’s game, Belt had reached base in 10 consecutive plate appearances (three singles, three doubles, two home runs and two walks).

Belt notched his sixth multi-hit game of the season. It was also his first multi-homer game since April 7, 2017 when he mashed a grand slam and a solo shot in back-to-back plate appearances against the Padres.

Overall, Belt is hitting .313 (21-of-67) with five home runs and 14 RBI in 23 games this season. He will put his three-game hitting streak on the line Wednesday night against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.