Bonds Continues Chase in Hospitable Houston

Barry Bonds put up some impressive numbers last season at brand-new Enron Field in Houston.

His only appearance there this year starts tonight, with the San Francisco Giant slugger chasing Mark McGwire’s major league record of 70 home runs, set in 1998.

Bonds hit three home runs Sunday at Coors Field in Denver to increase his total to 63. Bonds diverts most talk about the home run record to his team’s postseason chances.

“You try not to watch the scoreboard. But it’s hard not to,” Bonds said. Bonds left his mark at Enron Field last season in two visits, going seven for 16 with four home runs and five runs batted in.

The Astros and opposing batters have hit 206 homers at Enron Field this season, second to Coors Field, which has yielded 239.

Paul O’Neill hobbled into the New York Yankees’ clubhouse Monday wearing a protective boot and said he will be out at least a week because of a stress fracture in his left foot.

Baseball owners gather in Milwaukee today, but Commissioner Bud Selig said he doesn’t expect any major developments during the two-day meeting.

Outfielder Milton Bradley, acquired by the Cleveland Indians in a July trade with Montreal, was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo along with pitchers Roy Smith and Tim Drew The Detroit Tigers recalled first baseman Eric Munson, a former USC star, and purchased the contract of catcher Mike Rivera from double-A Erie, Pa.