699

[smazza]

Bonds Blasts No. 699 in Win Over Arizona

By MEL REISNER, AP SPORTS

PHOENIX (Sept. 12) -- Barry Bonds had a feeling Mike Koplove would pitch to him.

"I could see it in his face," Bonds said. "Like, 'I'm tired of this too. You might miss it."'

Bonds certainly didn't, hitting a 460-foot shot off the bottom of the center-field scoreboard for his 699th home run. The ninth-inning drive Sunday helped the San Francisco Giants regain the NL wild-card lead with a 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

 

 

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Bonds walked his first two times up, increasing his record total to 203, then took a called third strike and grounded out to overshifted second baseman Scott Hairston in short right field.

With the count 3-1, Bonds finally got a pitch he liked and connected for his 41st homer of the season.

"If you don't start your car eventually, the battery goes dead," Bonds said. "I'm sitting over there just rooting for everybody and, hopefully, we're staying in this thing, but my car's got to start, too, once in a while."

Bonds motioned to the sky in his usual salute to his late father as he crossed home plate but did not acknowledge the crowd. Fans booed loudly Saturday night, when Bonds was walked three times.

 

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American League

· Yankees 9, Orioles 7

· Mariners 2, Red Sox 0

· Athletics 1, Indians 0

· Angels 11, White Sox 0

· Twins 8, Tigers 5

· Rangers 7, Blue Jays 6

· Devil Rays 7, Royals 2

National League

· Giants 5, Diamondbacks 2  

· Marlins 11, Cubs 1

· Braves 9, Expos 8 (12)

· Phillies 4, Mets 2

· Cardinals 7, Dodgers 6

· Padres 15, Rockies 2

· Brewers 11, Reds 0

· Astros 5, Pirates 4 (10)

 

 

"People living in a capitalistic country like this, they want their money's worth," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "I believe they came to see that guy swing a bat."

Bonds is third on the career list behind Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). After an off-day Monday, the Giants play at Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Koplove, the 414th pitcher to allow a home run to Bonds, didn't want to work around him.

"It's always fun to go out there and try to get him out," Koplove said. "I'm not the first guy. It's a long list."

San Francisco (79-65) won for the sixth time in eight games and moved one game ahead of the Chicago Cubs (76-64), who lost to Florida 11-1.

Jason Schmidt (16-6) pitched a four-hitter, struck out nine and walked two in his fourth complete game of the season, retiring 21 consecutive batters in one stretch. Schmidt, who had been 0-2 in four starts since beating Pittsburgh on Aug. 12, has won six straight decisions against the Diamondbacks.

A.J. Pierzynski and J.T. Snow hit solo homers against Brandon Webb, and Pedro Feliz followed Bonds to give the Giants consecutive homers off Koplove in the ninth.

Arizona (43-100) became the first major league team to lose 100 times this season, extending the team record for defeats.

 

 

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Webb, who got out of bases-loaded jams in the first and third, allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. He walked five, increasing his major league-leading total to 109.

Alan Zinter's RBI double in the first and Luis Terrero's run-scoring single in the second put Arizona ahead 2-0. That was the last hit off Schmidt, who retired 22 of his last 23 batters.

"I just think he picked up the intensity and picked up his mental approach, and he was lights out," Pierzynski said. "He's been struggling with the groin, and I think he finally said, 'You know what? I've got to get over this,' and he did that."

Pierzynski homered in the fourth and Snow in the fifth to tie it.

"He got a little frustrated when he gave up the home run to Snow," Arizona manager Al Pedrique said of Webb. "We thought it was a good pitch -- it was down -- but Snow, that's where he likes it."

Snow also opened the eighth with a single off Randy Choate (1-3). After Koplove relieved, Marquis Grissom sacrificed, Pierzynski was intentionally walked and Cruz hit a grounder that deflected off the pitcher's glove and into short left field as pinch-runner Jason Ellison scored from second.

Notes: Pierzynski leads NL catchers with 72 RBI. ... The Giants are 65-41 when Bonds has been walked and have scored 182 runs in the innings when the walks occurred. ... Before this year, Arizona's high for losses had been 97 in 1998, the Diamondbacks' first season.

[BULLO12]

But are the Gignats going to make the playoffs??

[smazza]

it will go down to last weekend

we have 6 with dodgers and if we sweep them we win division.i think we will sweep dodgers

[KnightsRule]

it will go down to last weekend

we have 6 with dodgers and if we sweep them we win division.i think we will sweep dodgers

No way you sweep 6 straight. ESPN will be showing every Bonds at bat until he hits 700. Thats is a pretty darn amazing number. I never thought when I was growing up that anyone would ever hit 700 again.

[smazza]

i would imagine they will show every homer after 700 also

oh please, the giants can easily sweep the dodgers

[KnightsRule]

i would imagine they will show every homer after 700 also

oh please, the giants can easily sweep the dodgers

Looks to me like Giants couldnt even win the first series at their own park.

fri   LA 3  SF  2

Sat SF 9  LA 5

sun LA 7 SF 4

At least the sox took two from the yanks but then again we are already pretty much locked in for wild card, how bout the giants?

[smazza]

giants weren't expecting to compete this year

it is all gravy

we are happy watching mr bonds