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| San Francisco’s Barry Bonds rounds the bases after he hit a solo home run in the first inning against Florida on Friday. Associated Press Photo. |
Baseball: Bonds pulls within one of Aaron
By The Associated Press
Saturday, July 28, 2007 11:04 AM PDT
SAN FRANCISCO - Hammerin' Hank, he's right behind you now.
Barry Bonds hit his 754th career home run Friday night, and needs just one more to tie Hank Aaron's record.
The Giants star sent a 2-1 pitch from rookie Rick Vanden Hurk over the wall in left-center in the first inning for a solo shot against the Florida Marlins, his 20th homer of the season. The Giants went on to win 12-10.
Bonds walked in his next four at-bats and will keep up his pursuit tonight, when Dontrelle Willis starts for the Marlins.
“He knew he got it,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “After that he didn't get many pitches to hit.”
Bud Selig wasn't there to see this homer, sending MLB president and chief operating officer Bob DuPuy in his place. The commissioner was back in Milwaukee, preparing to go to Sunday's Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Bonds did hear from Michael Jordan, though. A taped message from the NBA great played on AT&T Park's video board between innings.
After a brief pause to put specially marked baseballs in play, Bonds drew ball one and ball two - with boos raining down on Vanden Hurk - before a called first strike. Then, the 84 mph changeup was gone - a drive estimated at 420 feet.
“I wanted to throw it down and I left it hanging up and he it out,” Vanden Hurk said. “I knew he got real good wood on it.”
As usual, Bonds stood and watched his ball sail away, then began yet another trot and pumped his fist along the way. ” flashed on the main scoreboard and Bonds blew kisses to his family when he crossed home.
Fans, already on their feet for Bonds' first at-bat, screamed in delight when it was clear he had homered - Bonds' first at home since he connected for No. 750 on June 29 against Arizona's Livan Hernandez. “Barry! Barry!” they chanted as he rounded the bases.
Hundreds of fans held their cell phones in the air to take pictures after Bonds' home run and during each of his other plate appearances.
Diamondbacks 8, Braves 7,
11 innings
PHOENIX - Tony Clark homered to lead off the bottom of the 11th for Arizona, which squandered a seven-run lead.
Phillies 8, Pirates 1, 6 1/2 innings
PHILADELPHIA - Pat Burrell homered and had three RBIs and Jamie Moyer allowed one run in seven innings in Philadelphia's rain-shortened win.
The Phillies learned before the seven-inning victory that Chase Utley, their All-Star second baseman, could miss three-to-four weeks after undergoing surgery to have a pin placed in his broken right hand. Utley was hit by a pitch on Thursday.
Nationals 6, Mets 2
NEW YORK - Washington's Ryan Church and Austin Kearns homered to back the pitching of former Met Mike Bacsik. Bacsik (4-6) allowed eight hits over seven innings.
Padres 9, Astros 4
HOUSTON - Milton Bradley homered and Brian Giles had a season-high three RBIs for San Diego and Jake Peavy won for the first time since June 19.
Peavy (10-5) allowed one run and four hits and struck out eight for the Padres, who won for the second time in eight games. He is 5-0 with a 0.98 ERA on the road this year and his 2.41 season ERA remains second in the NL.
Reds 5, Cubs 4
CINCINNATI - Edwin Encarnacion's ninth-inning RBI single gave Cincinnati the victory.
The Cubs reached closer David Weathers (2-3) for five hits and two runs in the top of the ninth. Norris Hopper led off the bottom of the inning against Bobby Howry (5-6) with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, Encarnacion, who had homered in the fourth, singled between third base and shortstop for the winner.
Brewers 12, Cardinals 2
ST. LOUIS - Claudio Vargas worked eight innings for the first time in four seasons and was backed by Milwaukee's 19-hit attack.
Corey Hart homered, doubled and singled, Kevin Mench matched his career high with four hits and Tony Graffanino had three RBIs for the Brewers, who won for the third time in their last 11 road games.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Indians 10, Twins 4
CLEVELAND - Jhonny Peralta homered twice and Kenny Lofton began his third go-round with Cleveland by getting three hits in a 10-4 victory over Minnesota on Friday night.
Peralta hit a three-run homer in the third off Boof Bonser (5-7) and added a two-run shot in the sixth when the Indians opened a 10-0 lead for Paul Byrd (9-4).
Cleveland improved to 6-0 this season against Minnesota, which dropped its fifth straight. The Twins have been outscored 30-5 in its last three games.
Lofton returned to the Indians in a trade with Texas for minor league catcher Max Ramirez. He played left field for the first time in his career and finished 3-for-4 with an RBI in his first game for Cleveland since the 2001 playoffs.
Red Sox 7, Devil Rays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Tim Wakefield allowed one run over six innings and Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer to lead Boston.
Wakefield (12-9) gave up six hits and three walks, striking out seven as he won for the fifth time in six starts. The knuckleballer improved to 17-2 against the Devil Rays, the most wins by a Tampa Bay opponent. He is 8-0 at Tropicana Field.
Orioles 4, Yankees 2
Yankees 8, Orioles 7, susp. game
BALTIMORE - Rookie Jeremy Guthrie limited New York to two runs in six innings and Baltimore won its fifth straight.
Earlier, the Yankees beat the Orioles in the completion of a game suspended on June 28 by rain. Play resumed in the eighth inning with the Yankees up 8-6, and closer Mariano Rivera gave up a run in a harrowing ninth before earning his 16th save.
That game officially occurred last month, so the Orioles won their seventh straight at home.
Royals 6, Rangers 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo - Brian Bannister pitched seven shutout innings and Billy Butler hit a three-run homer for Kansas City.
White Sox 4, Blue Jays 3
CHICAGO - Jermaine Dye homered and Juan Uribe hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning to lead Chicago. Jon Garland (8-7) allowed three runs and 10 hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out two and walked one. Bobby Jenks pitched a perfect ninth for his 29th save.
Mariners 7, Athletics 1
SEATTLE - Adrian Beltre hit a three-run double and Jose Guillen hit a two-run homer as Seattle ended a season-high seven-game losing streak.
Felix Hernandez (7-6) allowed seven hits and one run - a homer by Nick Swisher - over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Guillen's homer made it 7-1 and capped Seattle's four-run fourth off rookie Dallas Braden (1-6), who lost for the sixth consecutive time.
Braden allowed seven runs - four earned - and seven hits in four innings.
Angels 11, Tigers 6
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Gary Matthews Jr. broke out of an 0-for-19 drought with three run-scoring hits and robbed Craig Monroe of a grand slam to lead Los Angeles in the matchup of division leaders.
Jered Weaver (7-5) won for the first time in five starts since beating the Dodgers on June 16. He pitched 5 1-3 innings, allowing six runs and a season-high 11 hits - including solo homers by Placido Polanco and Curtis Granderson. The 11 runs equaled the combined total scored in Weaver's previous five outings. |