GIANTS: MadBum could face live hitters soon

Belt splashed a 3-2 pitch into McCovey Cove for a solo homer in the first inning to put San Francisco ahead. It marked his seventh career homer into the bay beyond the right field wall named for Hall of Famer Willie McCovey and second this season.

Berrios allowed six hits, two earned runs and three walks in his first career appearance against San Francisco. Brandon Kintzler, the Twins’ third reliever, finished with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.

Giants starter Jeff Samardzija (2-8) struck out six and walked one over six innings, increasing his impressive totals to 65 Ks and two walks in his last eight starts.

But he also has given up six home runs during that stretch. Vargas led off the fourth with his second of the year, and Dozier hit a go-ahead, two-run drive in the fifth.

“Although you like how you feel out there and are OK with the results, you’d like to keep definitely that Dozier ball in the park,” Samardzija said.

Samardzija beat the Brewers his last time out to end a two-start skid but still hasn’t won consecutive outings this season. He had been 4-0 with a 3.67 ERA in his previous five matchups with Minnesota.

Buster Posey doubled and drove in a run on a groundout for San Francisco, shut out 4-0 a night earlier.

Belt’s drive to the water was the 73rd by the Giants and matched Pablo Sandoval for second behind 35 hit by home run king Barry Bonds. There have been 113 overall at AT&T Park.

TRAINER’S ROOM LHP Madison Bumgarner, who bruised his ribs and sprained his pitching shoulder in an April 20 dirt bike accident, could face live hitters at some point during a four-game series in Denver beginning Thursday. ... 2B Joe Panik was held out of the lineup and isn’t likely to play again until the Giants open a two-game series against Kansas City on Tuesday. Panik injured his left thumb trying to dive for a ball up the middle Thursday. ... Mike Morse is still feeling effects from a concussion he suffered in a collision with Samardzija while trying to break up a benches-clearing brawl on May 29.

NEW YORK ( AP) – Tapwrit overtook favored Irish War Cry in the stretch to win the Belmont Stakes by two lengths on Saturday, giving trainer Todd Pletcher his third career victory in the final leg of the Triple Crown.Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Tapwrit ran 1 ⁄ miles in 2:30.02 on his home track. Ortiz’s brother Irad won last year’s race with Creator.“The distance, I was sure he could handle it,” Ortiz said.Tapwrit finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and skipped the Preakness. Five of the last nine Belmont winners have followed that same path.“We felt like with the five weeks in between, and with the way this horse had trained, that he had a legitimate chance,” said Pletcher, who is based at Belmont Park. “I think that’s always an advantage.”Pletcher took two of the year’s three Triple Crown races, having saddled Always Dreaming to victory in the Derby.Tapwrit paid $12.60, $6.50 and $5 at 5-1 odds. The 3-year- old gray colt was purchased for $1.2 million, making him the most expensive horse in the field.Irish War Cry returned $4.70 and $3.90 as the 5-2 favorite, while Patch, the one-eyed horse trained by Pletcher, paid $6.50 to show.The $1.5 million race took several hits before the starting gate opened.It lacked Always Dreaming and Preakness winner Cloud Computing. Classic Empire, the expected favorite, dropped out Wednesday with a foot abscess.Epicharis, the early 4-1 second choice, was scratched Saturday morning after failing a pre-race veterinary exam. The Japan-based colt had been treated for lameness in his right front hoof earlier in the week.All that left it a wide-open race, and in the end it was Tapwrit that proved he was up to the grueling 1 ⁄ mile challenge.Gormley finished fourth, followed by Senior Investment, Twisted Tom, Lookin At Lee, Meantime, J Boys Echo and Multiplier.