SAN FRANCISCO _ No one is going to mistake the San Francisco Giants for the 1927 New York Yankees these days. Well, no one other than baseball's hottest pitcher, that is.
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola should be excused if he left AT&T Park Thursday night believing that the Giants are one of the hardest-hitting teams in the National League. He had gone 10 consecutive starts without giving up more than two earned runs before the Giants, who've scored the third-fewest runs in baseball, tagged him for five runs over five innings in a 5-4 win.
After Nola (9-8) retired six of the first seven batters he faced, the Giants started knocking him around like he was a spot starter called up from Triple-A earlier in the day. Kelby Tomlinson led off the third with a double, Hunter Pence brought him home with a two-out single and Buster Posey added another run by punching a hit through the right side of the infield.
The Giants added three more runs in the third after Jarrett Parker smacked his second double of the game, driving in Denard Span and Pence, and scored on a two-out single from Brandon Crawford. In doing so, the Giants chased Nola from the game, tarnishing his Major League-leading 1.71 ERA since June 22.
Posey, Parker and Tomlinson led the Giants offensive charge, collecting two hits a piece.
Despite the offensive outburst, Jeff Samardzija (8-12) ensured that the battle between the National League's two worst teams wound up being entertaining for the fans at China Basin.
He gave up a home run to Cameron Rupp over the bricks in right in the fifth, and then he allowed the Phillies to make it a 5-4 game in the sixth, coughing up three runs after the first four batters he faced reached base.
But the Giants middle infield bailed him out by turning a nifty 4-6-3 double play with runners on the corners and no outs.
After the Giants escaped the sixth with a lead, the bullpen shut the door as Mark Melancon, Hunter Strickland and Sam Dyson combined to pitch three scoreless innings.
_ The Giants received some optimistic news when Brandon Belt underwent his concussion evaluation Wednesday. The 29-year-old first baseman has been cleared to begin cardio workouts on Friday.
"He seems to be doing a little better," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's going to start his cardio tomorrow, and that is a big step toward rehabbing and getting back on the field."
Of course, Belt is still a long ways away from returning to the lineup and recovery from concussions don't always follow a linear path. Bochy insists that the Giants will be taking a cautious approach to his recovery.
"We're going to make sure he's completely recovered," Bochy said. "If not, we won't put him out there."
Belt has missed 11 consecutive games since he took a curveball to the head on Aug. 4. The Giants first baseman also suffered concussions in 2014, 2015 and back in college at Texas.
"I've never had anything quite as severe as he's had, so it's hard for me to say what he's going through," Posey said. "This year, when I had one, after a day and a half, I felt pretty normal, so I would imagine that it feels pretty scary for him to not feel normal for an extended period of time.
"It's bigger than baseball. You want the guy to get back on track, but first and foremost, you just want him to be healthy."
Second baseman Joe Panik, who suffered a concussion after getting hit in the head by a throw to plate on Sunday, is expected to be evaluated by team doctors on Friday.
