Even Without Bonds, Giants Keep Rolling

Right now, the San Francisco Giants aren’t missing Barry Bonds one bit.

Bonds missed his sixth consecutive game because of a hairline fracture in the tip of his right thumb, and the Giants have won all six.

Rich Aurilia’s run-scoring single broke an eighth-inning tie in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night as the Giants won their seventh in a row overall.

“Even last year when Barry went out, we played pretty well,” Aurilia said.

“Anybody who watches this team day in and day out knows this isn’t a one- or two-person team. Evidence of that was tonight.”

J.T. Snow homered and Ellis Burks had three hits for the Giants, who have won 17 of 24 overall. The National League Central-leading Cardinals were without Mark McGwire, who has tendinitis in his right knee, and have lost two in a row for the first time since June 9-10.

Manager Tony La Russa wasn’t using injuries as an excuse.

“Everybody has them,” La Russa said. “There ain’t a team playing today that hasn’t got ouches all over the place. You just make do with what you got and we’ve got plenty.”

Burks doubled with one out in the eighth off Matt Morris (0-2) and Felipe Crespo was hit by a pitch before Aurilia’s hit.

Alan Embree (1-2) entered with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh and got Fernando Vina to ground into a double play on his first pitch, then followed with a scoreless eighth.

Robb Nen worked the ninth for his 16th save in 21 chances. Jim Edmonds, who missed the previous two games with flu, hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals.