Bonds Has Feisty, Impressive Day

Barry Bonds’ afternoon featured another historic home run, a shouting match with Ron Villone and a game-saving catch.

Bonds extended his remarkable power surge with his 520th career home run, and Rich Aurilia added a pinch-hit home run at San Francisco as the Giants defeated Colorado, 5-4, Sunday.

San Francisco’s fourth victory in 12 games wasn’t safe until Bonds caught Jeff Cirillo’s sinking liner for the final out as pinch-runner Terry Shumpert headed for home.

“It’s exciting, but we’ve got to play better baseball,” Bonds said. “It’s nice, but it’s nicer to win.”

Bonds’ 11th home run in 10 games moved him within one of Willie McCovey and Ted Williams for 11th place on baseball’s career list.

The two-run home run off Denny Neagle (4-2) in the first inning fell a few feet short of McCovey Cove beyond Pacific Bell Park’s right-field fence.

Bonds’ power performances have boosted his slugging percentage to .918. Of his 47 hits this year, 36 have gone for extra bases.

Bonds leads the majors with 26 home runs, and he extended his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games. His amazing numbers even impress the opposition.

“I got greedy. I didn’t want to walk him, so I made a bad pitch,” Neagle said. “He’s swinging the bat so well right now, he could probably hit something two feet outside over the fence. He’s the best player in the game, no matter what anybody says.”

But Bonds also struck out twice before Villone hit him in the shoulder blade with an eighth-inning pitch.

Bonds and Villone, who said the pitch slipped out of his hand, exchanged words while Giant Manager Dusty Baker came onto the field, but the teams remained in their dugouts.

“He’s too close to the plate, and he wears all that body armor,” Villone said with a shrug. “Tell him to take it off, and maybe he won’t get hit so much.”

Baker said the umpires were told to keep an eye out for confrontations between the teams, who have a history of bickering going back several years. Villone also threw inside on Bonds during the series’ first game Thursday, prompting Bonds to point two fingers at Villone while they shouted.

“Barry shouldn’t have to expect this,” Baker said. “Everybody knows you have to pitch inside to get Barry out, but there’s a difference.”

Russ Ortiz (7-3) gave up nine hits over seven innings. while improving to 5-0 at Pac Bell Park. The Rockies got at least one runner in scoring position in six consecutive innings, but Ortiz prevented any big rallies while ending a personal two-game losing streak.

Aurilia hit for Ortiz in the seventh inning. He put Neagle’s first pitch into the left-field stands for his first career pinch-hit home run to put San Francisco up, 5-3.

Arizona 6, San Diego 4--Erubiel Durazo and Reggie Sanders hit two-run home runs in the ninth at San Diego off Trevor Hoffman (2-2).

The stunning turnaround allowed the Diamondbacks to take three of four games from the resurgent Padres. It came less than 24 hours after Arizona’s Curt Schilling came within five outs of a perfect game before allowing Ben Davis’ controversial bloop bunt single.

Hoffman (2-2) inherited a 4-2 lead from Woody Williams, who was trying to win his fifth consecutive decision.

The Padres took a 4-2 lead in the eighth when Byung-Hyun Kim walked Rickey Henderson with the bases loaded and Greg Swindell (1-1) walked Ryan Klesko with the bases full.

Chicago 4, Milwaukee 1--Joe Girardi broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double at Chicago as the Cubs won their seventh in a row following an eight-game losing streak.

Kevin Tapani (7-1) gave up one run and six hits in seven innings. Girardi’s double, his 1,000th hit, came off Jimmy Haynes (5-5).

St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 0--J.D. Drew had three hits and Darryl Kile overcame steady rain for the victory at Cincinnati.

Drew doubled home a run in the first inning and Albert Pujols had an RBI single in the ninth. Kile (7-3) gave up seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

After setting an NL record by scoring in 208 consecutive games, the Reds have been shut out twice in their last four games.

Pittsburgh 6, Atlanta 3--Jason Kendall and Keith Osik hit solo home runs at Atlanta as the Pirates stopped a five-game losing streak.

Kendall went three for five and scored twice and Osik added an RBI double and scored two runs. Bronson Arroyo (3-4) gave up one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Tom Glavine (5-3) gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

New York 5, Florida 4--Mike Piazza hit a 415-foot home run off Dan Miceli (0-4) and pinch-hitter Lenny Harris added a go-ahead single at New York as the Mets rallied for three runs in the eighth.

Turk Wendell (1-0) pitched one inning for the win, and Armando Benitez got his eighth save. Luis Castillo had three singles and stole three bases for the Marlins.

Philadelphia 7-3, Montreal 5-7--Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run homer at Philadelphia as the Expos gained a doubleheader split and stopped the Phillies’ winning streak at five games.

Tony Armas (5-5) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings before leaving when he was hit in the right wrist by a liner off the bat of Tomas Perez.

In the opener, Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer in the sixth off Britt Reames (2-7) for a 4-3 lead as Philadelphia rallied from a 3-0 deficit.

Montreal third baseman Fernando Tatis returned to the lineup for the first time since May 11 after recovering from a torn right labrum. He went two for eight in the doubleheader.

Arizona 6, San Diego 4--Erubiel Durazo and Reggie Sanders hit two-run home runs in the ninth at San Diego off Trevor Hoffman (2-2).

The Padres took a 4-2 lead in the eighth when Byung-Hyun Kim walked Rickey Henderson with the bases loaded and Greg Swindell (1-1) walked Ryan Klesko with the bases full.