San Francisco Giants pitcher Anthony DeSclafani throws out Los Angeles Angels runner Max Stassi in the seventh inning on Tue Jun 22, 2021 in Anaheim (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

After a terrific home stand that saw the San Francisco Giants go 6-1, they returned to the road for a brief two-game series.

Anthony DeSclafani went seven innings allowing zero runs on three hits, walking just two and striking out nine, as the Giants defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-0 at Anaheim Stadium.

With the victory, the Giants increased their lead over the second place Los Angeles Dodgers up to three games after the Dodgers lost to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park and their lead over the third place Padres remains at four and a half games.

Also, the Giants raise their record to a major-league best 47-26 on the season and threw their 10th shutout of the season.

The Giants did not waste any time to get on the scoreboard against Angels starter Andrew Heaney.

Mike Yastrzemski singled with one out in the top of the first inning, then after Darin Ruf hit an opposite field double that sent Yastrzemski to third. Buster Posey grounded out to for the second out of the inning; however, it easily scored Yastrzemski from third base.

Brandon Belt then laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line that scored Ruf from third base.

Following the Belt single, Wilmer Flores hit his third home run in the last two games, as he launched his seventh home run of the season to give the Giants a commanding 4-0 lead before the Angels even came to the plate for the first time.

Brandon Crawford, who went 3-for-3 on the night, as he continues his run to a potential spot on the National League All-Star team.

Mauricio Dubon drove in the fifth and final run of the evening for the Giants, as he hit his fifth home run of the season.

It was a tough night at the plate for Shohei Ohtani, who is tied for the major-league lead in home runs with Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., in home runs with 23, did not get the ball out of the infield, as he walked once and struck out three times.

Heaney went six innings, allowing five runs on two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out 10, as he saw his record fall to 4-5 on the season.

NOTES: Tommy La Stella will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento, as he remains out with a left hamstring strain. La Stella has missed the last 45 games with the injury.

With two home runs on the night, the Giants now have 109 home runs on the season.

Since the divisional era began in 1969, this is just the sixth time that the Giants are 20 plus games over .500 prior to the month of July and it is the first time since June 23, 2016 when they were 47-27. They also reached that plateau in 2014, 1993, 1978 and 1971, the Giants reached the postseason in three of those seasons, 1971 (lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Championship Series, 2014 (won the World Series over the Kansas City Royals) and in 2016 (lost to the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman looks to raise his record to 9-1 on the season, as he takes the mound for the Giants, while Ohtani takes the mound for the Angels, as he looks for his fourth win of the season against just one loss.