The San Francisco Giants Brandon Belt who had just lost his grandmother before the game against the New York Mets on Tue Aug 24, 2021 at Citi Field in New York went out and blasted two home runs. Here is Belt running the bases after hitting one of the two home runs in the fourth inning. (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK — The San Francisco Giants fired off four home runs and finished with a blowout 8-0 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Citi Field to open the three-game series.

Two of the homers came from Brandon Belt, who achieved a career-high 19 home runs. Belt hit the first homer to center field in the first inning.

Mike Yastrzemski hit a homer to right field and Wilmer Flores scored, giving the Giants a 3-0 lead in the second inning.

In the fourth inning, LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a home run to center field and Tommy La Stella scored, putting the Giants up 5-0.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Wade Jr. “has really come into some power.”

“We saw the plate discipline and decision-making, the drive and the determination in Minnesota. We watched him from afar,” Kapler said. “The only thing we’ve done with some of these players is support their initiatives and goals, and we hope to continue to do that.”

Belt’s second homer, to left field, also came in the fourth inning. Brandon Crawford’s base hit to right center field was San Francisco’s first non-home run since their loss in the 11th inning to the Mets on Wednesday at Oracle Park. Buster Posey scored on Crawford’s hit, giving the Giants a 7-0 lead.

Catcher Buster Posey left the game with right knee discomfort and was replaced by Curt Casali in the fifth inning.

In the eighth inning, Belt reached on an infield single to shortstop and Darin Ruf scored to lift San Francisco 8-0 over New York.

Rookie left-handed starter Sammy Long pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four. He earned his second career win in the league.

Before the game, right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman was placed on the injured list and third baseman Evan Longoria was reinstated from the injured list and put on the 10-day injured list due to a right hand contusion.

The Giants improved to 81-44 and are three games ahead of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the NL West. San Francisco maintains the best overall winning percentage in the league at .648.

First pitch for game 2 of the series at Citi Field is at 4:10 p.m. on Wednesday.