Belt loses All-Star vote

Brandon Belt addressed the political media after learning he did not win the last-chance All-Star vote and said, “First off, I want to point out that Russia actually interfered with this election.”

Belt stressed he was trying to be lighthearted, but was very serious when he thanked his fans and teammates, and especially the club’s social-media staff, for their efforts to get him to his second All-Star Game.

Even with teammate Derek Holland slathering his body with baby oil and taping another “Ballot Brothers” video with Hunter Pence on Wednesday morning, Belt finished second to Milwaukee first baseman Jesus Aguilar. Aguilar received 20.2 million votes. The totals for Belt and those of the other three NL candidates were not released.

Belt’s alliance partner, Jean Segura of the Mariners, won the American League spot with 13.6 million votes.

Belt might be on his way to a career year, carrying an .889 OPS, but Aguilar would have been one of the biggest snubs in recent memory had he not been elected. He leads the league with a 1.013 OPS and is tied with Colorado’s Nolan Arenado for the most home runs (23).

Had he won, Belt still might have skipped the All-Star Game. His wife, Haylee, is near her due date for their second son.

Rotation set: The Giants hoped to avoid starting Andrew Suarez against Oakland this weekend to help limit his innings, but the need to use Dereck Rodriguez in relief Wednesday means Suarez will start the first-half finale Sunday. Madison Bumgarner will pitch Friday night and Jeff Samardzija on Saturday.

Briefly: Buster Posey’s gameending hit was his fifth. His last was the 17th-inning homer against the Reds last year . ... Tony Watson had not allowed a run at AT&T Park with the Giants before Javier Baez’s seventh-inning homer . ... The Giants have won five straight home series against the Cubs.