NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Fans Boo Bonds, Who Boos Them Right Back

The strike is over. So is the era of good will between players and fans.

It ended Monday afternoon in San Francisco, when fans booed the Giants for making five errors in a 7-2 loss to the New York Mets, and Barry Bonds replied in kind after making an error that does not show up in the statistics.

Bonds often watches home runs--both his and others’--sail across fences. Standing still and just turning his head has become something of a trademark with him.

He stood and glanced back at Kelly Stinnett’s hard-hit ball, which flew over his head, but it bounced off the wall for a two-out bases-loaded double in the first inning.

Candlestick Park fans immediately let him hear their disapproval. He replied in kind later.

“I don’t care what they think. They ain’t out there. They don’t really know what’s going on out there,” said Bonds, whose salary is more than $8 million this season. “If they can do better, bring your . . . out there. If you’re better than me, you can come out there and put my uniform on and do it.”

San Francisco, which entered the game as the best fielding team in the National League, struggled all of a wind-swept afternoon that turned every popup into an adventure.

And at least one line drive.

The Mets fielded an unusual lineup in an attempt to escape their doldrums, and it worked. Center fielder/leadoff hitter Brett Butler was benched, as were shortstop Jose Vizcaino and first baseman Rico Brogna.

Ryan Thompson led off the game with his first home run of the season in support of Bobby Jones (4-2).

Cincinnati 3, Pittsburgh 2--Pirate first baseman Rich Aude apparently heard “I’ve got it” from second baseman Carlos Garcia, but apparently Garcia said “You take it” on Mark Lewis’ pop-up in the sixth inning.

The ball dropped for a double, and Garcia retrieved it and threw wildly toward home, letting Brian Hunter score from first base for the winning run as the Pirates lost for the 10th time in their last 11 games in Cincinnati.

After starting the season 1-8, the Reds took over first place in the NL Central after winning for the 12th time in their last 14 games behind John Smiley (4-0).

Atlanta 7, Chicago 5--Mark Lemke, his average having dropped below .200, delivered a two-run triple in the seventh inning to lift the Braves at Atlanta.

The two-out hit, off reliever Mike Walker, also ended the Braves’ losing skid at five games, their longest since April 1993, when they also lost five in a row.

Houston 6, Florida 5--Craig Biggio’s three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning rallied the Astros to a victory at Houston and extended their winning streak to five games.

Robb Nen (0-3) retired Houston’s first two batters in the ninth inning before walking pinch-hitter Dave Magadan on four pitches and John Cangelosi on five pitches. Biggio then hit a two-and-one pitch over the left-field scoreboard for his fifth homer of the season.

St. Louis 9, Colorado 5--Mark Petkovsek (1-1) earned his first victory since 1993 by pitching into the seventh inning in Denver, giving up four runs on eight hits and ending the Rockies’ winning streak at four games.

Todd Zeile went three for three with two RBIs for the Cardinals.

San Diego 5, Philadelphia 4--Pinch-hitter Phil Clark hit a bases-loaded single with one out in the 10th inning, lifting the Padres to a victory at San Diego.

It was the Phillies’ fourth loss in a row.