Giants Try to Clean Up With New Lineup

Is Barry Bonds about to become the most dangerous cleanup hitter in baseball?

Bonds, who moved out of his accustomed third spot in the lineup Sunday, was hitless in three at-bats. But the lineup switch may have contributed to the San Francisco Giants’ 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies at San Francisco, moving the Giants within a half-game of the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card chase.

Giant Manager Dusty Baker tweaked his lineup, moving Bonds into the cleanup spot for only the 11th time, in hopes of boosting an offense that scored only two runs in each of the first two games of the series against Colorado--which has the National League’s worst pitching staff.

Although the new lineup produced only five hits, it helped contribute to the Giants’ two runs in the first inning. With one out and a runner on first, Jeff Kent doubled to left-center field for a run. After Bonds was intentionally walked, Andres Galarraga followed with an run-scoring double down the left-field line.

Baker would not say whether he’ll stick with the new lineup.

“Let the suspense build,” Baker said with a grin. “Wait ‘til tomorrow.”

Bonds, who leads the majors with 57 home runs, said he was happy with any lineup that produces victories as the Giants chase Arizona in the NL West.

“I hit wherever I’m in the lineup, as long as it’s not leadoff,” he said. “It’s fine with me--it worked out.”

Kent said he did not think the lineup switch had any impact, then refused to answer any more questions about the change.

Baker said he was not sure if the switch had any impact on the game, but said moving Kent to third in the lineup could allow last year’s NL most valuable player to see better pitches.

Kent is hitting .294. As the No. 3 hitter in front of Bonds, he is batting .256.

Bonds is hitting .308 in the third spot. As a cleanup hitter, he’s batting .344--with six home runs and 12 runs batted-in in 11 games.

Livan Hernandez pitched seven strong innings for the Giants, giving up only a first-inning run and working out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.

Hernandez (12-13), who is 6-2 since the All-Star break, scattered seven hits. He induced Jeff Cirillo into double-play grounders in the third and sixth innings, and got Luis Ortiz to ground out after loading the bases with two out in the seventh.

Robb Nen, the fifth Giant pitcher, earned his 38th save in 44 chances.

The Giants added a run in the sixth when center fielder Juan Pierre dropped Benito Santiago’s liner into the right-center field gap for a three-base error, allowing Galarraga to score from first. Galarraga had reached on an infield single.

The Rockies scored in the first inning on doubles by Ortiz and Todd Helton, his 124th RBI. But Helton was hitless in three other at-bats, all with at least one runner on base.

“Hernandez made some quality pitches. He did what he had to do to keep us off balance,” Helton said.

Atlanta 7, Chicago 4--Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones hit home runs during a five-run third inning at Atlanta.

The Braves won for only the fifth time in 18 games at Turner Field since Aug. 8 to move one game ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East.

Todd Hundley homered twice for the Cubs. Chicago fell four games behind Houston in the NL Central, but remained in the wild-card lead.

Kevin Millwood (5-6) pitched three-hit ball over seven innings.

Montreal 6, Philadelphia 2--Orlando Cabrera hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning at Philadelphia and the Expos knocked the Phillies out of a first-place tie in the NL East.

The Phillies have lost 12 of 17.

Houston 1, Milwaukee 0--Wade Miller struck out 10 in eight scoreless innings at Milwaukee and Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for his 33rd save.

Miller (15-7) gave up six hits and walked one to improve to 6-0 in his career against the Brewers.

The Astros have won 13 of 16.

Florida 5, New York 1--Preston Wilson homered twice and Ryan Dempster (15-11) gave up four hits over eight innings at New York.

He struck out five and walked two in his first victory since Aug. 11, helping end the Marlins’ four-game losing streak.

Cincinnati 8, Pittsburgh 6--Pinch-hitter Ruben Rivera hit a two-run home run against Mike Lincoln (1-1) in the seventh inning at Cincinnati.