Tampa Bay Rays vs San Francisco Giants Match Player Stats On Apr 06, 2019

Brandon Belt hit a home run during a four-run fifth inning as the San Francisco Giants rallied for a 6-4 interleague victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, who remain the early leaders in the American League East despite Saturday's loss.

Steven Duggar added a two-run double in the fifth inning for the Giants, who also saw Connor Joe get his first major league hit as a pinch hitter in the frame after going hitless in 13 at-bats to start his career. The victory ended San Francisco's three-game losing streak.

Ji-Man Choi drove in two runs for the Rays, who also received their own pinch hit from a player scuffling at the plate. Willy Adames delivered a ground-ball single to left field and scored a run in Rays' half of the fifth inning after starting the season 1-for-27.

It was the highest scoring game of the season for the run-challenged Giants, who did not score until the 18th inning of the season. The Giants started the day as one of three teams in baseball who had yet to score 20 runs.

The Giants scored more runs in the fifth inning Saturday than they had in six of their previous eight games.

The Rays lost for just the third time this season as their "opener" strategy failed to deliver. Tampa Bay had Ryne Stanek and Jalen Beeks pitch two innings each at the outset before switching to left-hander Ryan Yarbrough in the fifth.

The first four Giants batters against Yarbrough (1-1) all reached base and scored as Joe Panik walked, Joe singled, Duggar doubled in two and Belt hit a two-run home run for a 6-3 lead. It was Belt's third of the season.

The Rays got a run back in the sixth inning on Mike Zunino's RBI single.

Giants starter Jeff Samardzija gave up three runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings, while left-hander Travis Bergen (1-0) recorded the final out of the bottom of the fifth to get the victory. Will Smith pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his third save.

--Field Level Media