Finishing Touches

Barry Bonds closed his smash one-man show Sunday afternoon with home run No. 73 in the San Francisco Giants’ 2-1 victory against the Dodgers before a sellout crowd of 41,257 at Pacific Bell Park.

The future hall of famer extended his season record in the final game of the regular season, hitting his first career homer against knuckleballer Dennis Springer in the first inning on a full-count floater.

What would be his final homer in a stunning season landed behind the arcade seating area in right field, ending the only suspense in a game between teams already eliminated from postseason contention.

“I’ve been watching baseball since I was a kid, and I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” Bonds said. “You couldn’t dream of anything like that, ever. It’s really impressive.

“Today’s home run, I was more just in shock. You know, your chances of hitting [a] home run on someone who throws that slow is so slim. When I did it, I was just, ‘What else can you give me, God?’ It’s just, ‘What else can you give me?’ Enough is enough.”

The 385-foot homer triggered another standing ovation and wild scramble for the ball that Patrick Hayashi, a 36-year-old Santa Clara County resident, retrieved from a pack hoping for a piece of history and, possibly, millions.

Bonds also set season records with an .863 slugging percentage and 177 walks. His .515 on-base percentage led the majors and was the 10th highest in baseball history.

He also batted .328, had 137 runs batted in and scored 129 runs in 153 games. Bonds is expected to be selected the National League most valuable player for the fourth time.

“It’s unbelievable,” said right fielder Shawn Green, who established a Dodger season record with 49 homers. “To be able to do what he did, not only the amount of home runs he hit but [in] the limited number of pitches that he saw, is the most amazing thing.

“To think how few pitches [Mark] McGwire and [Sammy] Sosa get, nobody gets pitched around more than Barry. You’ve got to tip your hat to him.”

Bonds’ last blast helped the Giants (90-72) win at least 90 games for the second season in a row. They finished second in the NL West Division, four games ahead of the third-place Dodgers (86-76).

Gary Sheffield drove in his 100th run for the Dodgers, his third consecutive season with at least a .300 batting average, 30 homers and 100 RBIs. Springer (1-1) embraced his role in Bonds’ accomplishment.

“It’s kind of a thrill, even though you don’t want to be the one,” he said. “But like we said in the [pre-series meeting of Dodger pitchers and catchers], we were going to try to pitch to win. He hit a knuckleball, but I don’t think I threw him a real good one.

“I haven’t pitched that much in the last month, so I don’t think my knuckleball was quite the best. Oh well.”

Bonds singled to left in the third, popped up to shallow center against a shift in the sixth and flied out to left in his final at-bat in the eighth against left-hander Terry Mulholland. He tipped his cap to fans along for the ride as he surpassed the record of 70 homers that McGwire established only three seasons ago, then disappeared into the dugout after completing one of the best individual seasons in history.

“The way that man played this year and the way he swung the bat, had he been pitched to on a constant basis, I think it’s safe to say he would have had a chance to hit a hundred home runs,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “And [many of] the 73 home runs were big home runs to win games for them. The man just put on a show.”

But was it his closing act in San Francisco?

The season-long party has been bittersweet for Giant fans, who wonder whether the showstopper will have a different stage next season. Bonds is a free agent and is expected to be on many club’s wish lists, explaining the uneasy feeling at a ballpark the perennial all-star has helped to fill for two seasons.

The focus again shifted to Bonds’ future with the season completed, and the intermission could be interesting too.

“This is my home,” said Bonds, seventh on the all-time list with 567 homers, six behind Harmon Killebrew. “It’s been my home since 1968 when my dad [former Giant outfielder Bobby Bonds] came here, and this will always be my home. My relationship has been up and down [with the fans and media], but for the most part it’s been good.

“It’s nice to go places and the whole city is rooting for you. You walk into stores, and you’ve got old ladies that don’t even know nothing about baseball and decide to watch a baseball game. They’re telling you what a great accomplishment this is, and the things that you’re doing. This will always be my home.”

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In the final at-bat of his career, Giant outfielder Eric Davis flied out while pinch-hitting in the seventh inning. Davis, who graduated from Fremont High, played for the Dodgers in 1992-93.

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Single-Season Home Run Leaders

73 Barry Bonds (2001)

64 Sammy Sosa (2001)

70 Mark McGwire (1998)

63 Sammy Sosa (1999)

66 Sammy Sosa (1998)

61 Roger Maris (1961)

65 Mark McGwire (1999)

60 Babe Ruth (1927)