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Giants Observations: Brandon Crawford Powers Win Vs. D-Backs

What we learned as Brandons lead Giants to win vs. D-backs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

After a disappointing road trip and a very quiet weekend at Nationals Park, the Giants were happy to be back home on Monday night. They were probably just as thrilled to be seeing the Arizona Diamondbacks in the other dugout. 

The Diamondbacks came to San Francisco riding a 19-game losing streak on the road, an incredible run of futility that dates back to Madison Bumgarner's no-hitter (yes it was) on April 25 in Atlanta. The Giants were more than willing to extend it into the 20s.

Behind another go-ahead homer from Brandon Crawford, the Giants won 5-2 to improve to 41-25. They had 14 hits, including a season-high three from Curt Casali and four from the Brandons, who combined to drive in four runs. 

The Giants improved to 19-6 in games following a loss, the best mark in the National League. Here are three more things to know ... 

Craw Keeps Crushing

Crawford broke a 1-1 tie by going the opposite way in the fifth for his 15th homer of the year. That's his second-highest total as a big leaguer after the 21 he hit in 2015, and it seems he's going to shoot right past that mark. Eight of Crawford's 15 homers have given the Giants a lead and two others have tied a game.

Crawford moved into a tie for fourth in the NL in homers, and he trails just one shortstop -- Fernando Tatis Jr., who leads the league with 19. Tatis was one of three shortstops ahead of Crawford in the first round of All-Star voting, along with Javier Baez and Corey Seager. 

Crawford now has 608 career RBI. He needs just eight more to pass J.T. Snow for ninth-most in San Francisco Giants history. 

Behind The Brandons

Brandon Belt had three hits and three runs last Tuesday in his return to the lineup, then went hitless in the final five games of the road trip. He snapped the 0-for-16 against one of his favorite opponents. Belt has reached base safely in 28 of his last 29 games against the Diamondbacks dating back to 2019 and he had a solid performance Monday. 

After the Giants put five runners on base and failed to score in the first two innings, Belt got them on the board with an RBI double in the third. He added a walk and a second double. 

Belt has gotten killed by Oracle Park more than anyone over the past decade, but he entered Monday's game with a .179 average on the road and .268 average at home. 

RELATED: What keeps Kapler up at night about rest of Giants' season

Good Wood

Alex Wood's numbers have tailed off since a spectacular start, but he found that early-season form against the last-place Diamondbacks. Wood went six innings, striking out seven while allowing just two runs on four hits. This was his first quality start since May 21 against the Dodgers. 

Wood threw just eight sliders in his last appearance, but went back to his out pitch often against the Diamondbacks, throwing it 21 times and getting six swinging strikes.

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