Giants' offense ignites in 10-2 win against Reds

CINCINNATI - San Francisco’s offense broke out while a Great American Ball Park smokestack burned. Quite a night all around for the Giants.

Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer, and Buster Posey added a two-run shot off Jason Marquis on Friday night, leading the Giants to a 10-2 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in a game played uninterrupted while an outfield smokestack burned for an inning.

“That was a weird night there,” manager Bruce Bochy said.

Weird, and ultimately encouraging.

One of the two riverboat smokestacks that shoot off celebratory flames and fireworks caught fire in the top of the sixth because of a malfunctioning propane valve. Flames shot from the top of the smokestack for an inning, spewing dark smoke, until firefighters extended a ladder from outside the ballpark and a firefighter climbed up to spray it.

“I felt sorry for the guy who had to go up there on a ladder,” Bochy said. “That’s not a job I wanted. A scary moment for someone to go out there and actually look down that chimney.”

Fans in two outfield sections by the smokestacks were evacuated while the fire was extinguished.

“It was a little odd,” said Belt, who sneaked glances at the fire from first base. “I think it was probably more frustrating for the people batting. It was a little weird.”

San Francisco’s struggling offense piled up a season high in runs. Belt also had an RBI double among his three hits and scored three times.

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner (4-2) gave up eight hits in seven innings, including solo homers by Zack Cozart and Billy Hamilton. After getting off to a slow start this season, the World Series MVP has gone 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in his last five starts.

The offense made this one easy.

“Ten runs is pretty nice when you’re out there pitching,” Bumgarner said. “The offense hit the ball really good. We’re playing good right now.”

San Francisco won at Great American for only the fourth time in its last 16 regular-season games.

One of the NL’s worst offenses hopes to get a boost when outfielder Hunter Pence rejoins the Giants today. Pence’s left forearm was broken by a pitch from the Cubs’ Corey Black on March 5. He went 5 for 17 with two homers in five games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento.

The Giants’ Joe Panik extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games with a single in the first inning.