Bonds Homers Twice, Wins It in Ninth

Barry Bonds tied the score with a three-run homer in the top of the seventh, then won the game in the ninth with a solo shot against closer Trevor Hoffman as the San Francisco Giants defeated the San Diego Padres, 7-6, Monday night.

Bonds has 24 homers this season and 591 in his career. He’s fourth on the all-time list, 69 behind his godfather, Willie Mays. It was the 60th multihomer game of his career.

With one out in the ninth, Bonds drove the first pitch he saw from Hoffman (1-1) down the right-field line, curling it just inside the foul pole. It went an estimated 378 feet.

With one out and runners on first and second in the seventh, Bonds fell behind 0-and-2 against reliever Jeremy Fikac, who then missed on three consecutive pitches. Bonds hit a full-count fastball over the fence in left-center to score Marvin Benard, aboard on a pinch-hit leadoff single, and Reggie Sanders, aboard on a walk.

In his last game in San Diego, Bonds hit a grand slam off the base of the scoreboard that sits 29 rows beyond the right-field wall.

Bonds has 68 career homers against the Padres, his most against any team, and 36 in San Diego, his most in any road ballpark.

They were Bonds’ first homers since June 12, a span of eight games. Bonds walked twice Monday, the first intentionally. He leads the majors with 91 walks, well ahead of the pace to break the record of 177 he set last year, when he also set the season home run record with 73.

Tim Worrell (4-0) pitched a perfect eighth for the victory. Robb Nen pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 22 chances.

San Francisco’s David Bell had a two-run homer and a run-scoring single in the second.

The normally power-poor Padres had taken a 6-3 lead on two homers by Ray Lankford and one by Tom Lampkin.

Coming into the game, Padres regulars had only 23 homers, and it was only the third game this season the Padres had more than two homers. They continue to be without their Nos. 3 and 4 hitters. Ryan Klesko sat out his fourth consecutive start because of a strained right wrist and forearm, and Phil Nevin is out with a broken left arm until at least July 12.

Lankford, who had struck out 10 times in his previous 12 at-bats, hit a two-run homer with two out in the fourth to give the Padres a 2-1 lead, and a solo homer with two out in the sixth to make it 5-3. Lampkin followed with a solo homer in the sixth.

It was the third time this season the Padres hit consecutive homers and the first since Nevin and Klesko did it May 8 at Florida.

Atlanta 3, New York 2--Pinch-hitter Keith Lockhart lined a leadoff home run in the ninth inning against Scott Strickland (6-4) at New York and the Braves defeated the Mets for their sixth consecutive victory.

The Braves improved to 17-4 in June behind a solid effort from starter Kevin Millwood and the majors’ best bullpen. Julio Franco also homered for Atlanta.

Kevin Gryboski (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth and John Smoltz pitched the ninth for his 24th save in 27 chances.

Philadelphia 15, Florida 4--Ricky Ledee had a career-high four hits, raising his average from .140 to .190, and Vicente Padilla pitched five innings for his 10th victory as the Phillies won at Miami.

Pat Burrell and Mike Lieberthal each homered and drove in four runs. Bobby Abreu also homered.

Padilla (10-4) was taken out as a precaution after bruising his right arm when hit by a pitch. The right-hander won his fourth consecutive decision, giving up two hits and one run.

Chicago 6, Cincinnati 4--Delino DeShields hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning at Chicago as the Cub bats broke through late in the game to hand the Reds their eighth consecutive loss.

Trailing, 2-1, in the seventh, the Cubs took control of the game with a run-scoring double by Roosevelt Brown against Scott Williamson (2-2) and DeShields’ third homer.

Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth, giving up a sacrifice fly to Reggie Taylor that just missed being a score-tying home run.