BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Strawberry Homers, Goes Two for Four

Darryl Strawberry took another step toward returning to the majors Monday night, lining a sharp single and a solo homer in his first two at-bats for the triple-A Phoenix Firebirds. He struck out and popped up in his other two plate appearances before being replaced in the sixth inning.

Playing for the first time since signing with the San Francisco Giants on June 19, Strawberry, who wore No. 44, batted third and was in right field for the Giants’ top farm team. It was his first game since April 2, a day before he left the Dodgers without explanation.

“I went, ‘Yes-s-s-s,’ ” Strawberry said of his homer. “That’s something the Giants are looking for, and it’s something I expect out of myself.”

On April 4, Strawberry acknowledged that he had a substance-abuse problem. He spent four weeks at the Betty Ford Center, negotiated a settlement that released him from the Dodgers and later joined the Giants.

The Giants have had him on a conditioning program since they signed him. Although his schedule for returning to the major leagues hasn’t been revealed, it is believed he will join the Giants after the All-Star break.

Tony Siegle, the Giants’ baseball operations vice president, said Strawberry’s first game was everything the team hoped for.

“Certainly a home run and a single the first day excites everybody and whets everybody’s appetite, but Darryl has to make the determination when he is ready,” Siegle said.

The 10,000-seat Peoria Sports Complex near Phoenix was sold out. Strawberry signed autographs before and after the game.

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San Diego right-hander Andy Benes met with Padre General Manager Randy Smith to iron out their differences over comments attributed to Smith by Baseball America.

In the article, Smith praised Benes as being “a horse and a heck of a pitcher,” but said that Benes could end up as the team’s No. 3 starter in the future because of the impressive performances this year by Andy Ashby and rookie Joey Hamilton.