What we learned as Belt, bullpen lead Giants over Guardians originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
CLEVELAND -- Early on, the Giants have played a lot of low-scoring games. That only plays to their strengths.
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Another strong night for the pitching staff led to a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians, who botched a defensive play in the eighth, allowing the go-ahead run to score. The Giants took their third straight series to start the year, improving to 6-2. They have allowed just 19 runs in those eight games.
On a 46-degree night in Cleveland, the Giants needed a while to get their bats warmed up. They didn't have a hit through the first four innings against Cal Quantrill, but they broke through with a double, two singles and a walk in the fifth. The lead proved to be short-lived. The Guardians tied it up in the bottom of the inning and it was a bullpen battle from there.
Jarlin Garcia loaded the bases in the sixth, but as the crowd of 13,000 chanted "Ernie! Ernie" for pinch-hitter Ernie Clement, Garcia got a grounder to short to end the threat.
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The breaks came in the eighth, and the Giants were all too happy to take advantage. Brandon Belt's slow roller to third went for a leadoff single and the Giants loaded the bases with one out. It looked like Wilmer Flores had hit into an inning-ending double play to second, but first baseman Owen Miller bizarrely broke to the plate at first before turning and sprinting to the bag.
Flores beat him there, and the Giants took the lead. A wild pitch later, they were up by a pair of runs.
Full Steam Ahead
Belt got the Giants on the board in the fifth, bouncing a single up the middle with the bases juiced. After trailing the first four innings, the Giants took the lead temporarily as Belt kept his red-hot start to the season going.
Belt was hitless in nine at-bats during the spring, but he homered on Opening Day and hasn't at all looked like a player who needed more work in Scottsdale. Through the season's first eight games, he's 9-for-24 with two homers and five RBI.
Before the game, manager Gabe Kapler said Belt is likely to make his first appearance at DH on Sunday. With four more right-handed pitchers waiting in New York, Kapler wants to keep Belt fresh.
Extending The Streak
Anthony DeSclafani gave up a triple to start his night, one of three hits from the first seven Guardians batters. But he settled in and cruised into the fifth, where a pair of doubles tied the game and ended his night. DeSclafani was charged with two runs on five hits and no walks. He struck out four in his second start of the season.
DeSclafani didn't get deep, but he extended an impressive streak for the rotation. Giants starters have allowed two runs or fewer in the first eight games, tying the franchise record to start the season. The 2002 team also had eight straight such starts to begin the year. That rotation was made up of Livan Hernandez, Russ Ortiz, Ryan Jensen, Kirk Reuter and Kurt Ainsworth early on, with Jason Schmidt taking over for Ainsworth in late April.
Underrated
Last season, the Giants became the second team in MLB history to have six relievers make at least 50 appearances with an ERA under 3.00. It looks like they might do it again.
There was a lot of good work in getting the close game from DeSclafani to the back end of the bullpen. Jose Alvarez got out of the fifth after DeSclafani departed with the go-ahead run on second and John Brebbia, Jarlin Garcia and Dominic Leone had scoreless appearances.
Those four have combined for 14 appearances this season and allowed just two runs.
