Giants Beat Diamondbacks Again

Barry Bonds hit his 42nd homer, a 418-foot shot into McCovey Cove, to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 victory Sunday over the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Giants, trying to catch the Dodgers for the National League wild card, won the last three games of their four-game series with the division-leading Diamondbacks.

Arizona has lost nine of its last 12 games. The Giants, who play host to the Dodgers in a three-game series starting here tonight, have won 11 of 14.

Bonds’ homer leading off the fourth tied the score at 1-1. It was the 21st home run hit into McCovey Cove by a Giant since Pacific Bell Park opened in 2000--and Bonds has 19 of them.

Bonds is second in the National League in homers to Sammy Sosa’s 44.

Immediately after Bonds’ homer, Benito Santiago doubled and caught Arizona napping.

Santiago stole third while pitcher Brian Anderson stood on the mound between pitches, then continued home when the startled left-hander threw wildly past third baseman Matt Williams for an error.

Santiago said he was focusing on Williams, not Anderson, and noticed the third baseman staring at the ground.

“I just timed it perfect. He was way off the bag. In my first three steps he was still looking down, so I kept going,” Santiago said.

“You can’t focus on the pitcher on that play, you focus on the third baseman. They look around sometimes, they look into the stands.”

Williams said Santiago’s dash was a good play only because he succeeded.

“If Brian steps off and throws a strike to third, we’ve got him,” Williams said.

But Arizona Manager Bob Brenly said his team was not concentrating.

“When everybody gets caught by surprise like that, something’s wrong there. A lot of people were sleeping,” he said.

The Giants scored their third run in the eighth on David Bell’s sacrifice fly, but not without a scare.

Bonds’ left foot slipped as he lined a single to left leading off the inning, and his left leg buckled. He trotted to first and stayed in the game, scoring on the fly ball.

Russ Ortiz (11-10) won his third straight start, allowing one run on seven hits in eight innings.

Robb Nen pitched the ninth for his 36th save in 44 opportunities. His 199th save with the Giants tied him with Rod Beck for the most in franchise history. Nen has 307 career saves.

Anderson (6-11), who has lost four of his last five starts, gave up two runs and four hits in three innings.