Bonds Homers, but Marlins Win

Barry Bonds hit his 668th home run Thursday, giving the six-time NL MVP and his late father, Bobby, a total of 1,000. But the World Series champion Florida Marlins hit three homers of their own to defeat the Giants, 4-3, at San Francisco.

Mike Lowell connected for a tiebreaking solo shot off Felix Rodriguez (1-1) in the top of the ninth inning.

“I know we have the reputation of playing small ball, but you saw today we can hit the ball out of the park,” Lowell said. “We’re capable of hitting home runs. I think our job’s not to steal bases. It’s to drive in runs.”

Hee Seop Choi and Ramon Castro also homered for the Marlins, who began a four-game series against the team they beat in four games in last year’s NL playoffs. Lowell and Choi also homered Wednesday.

St. Louis 5, Philadelphia 4 -- Jim Edmonds homered to lead off the 13th inning to help the Cardinals avoid a three-game sweep at St. Louis.

The Cardinals raised their home record to 4-9 after going 48-33 last year. Manager Tony La Russa became the second manager in major league history to win 700 games with two teams, joining Sparky Anderson. La Russa also won 798 games with Oakland from 1986 to 1995. Anderson won 863 with the Reds from 1970 to 1978 and 1,331 with the Tigers from 1979 to 1995.

San Diego 2, Montreal 1 -- David Wells pitched seven effective innings at San Diego for his first win with the Padres.

Khalil Greene had a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh as the Padres completed a four-game sweep of the Expos for the first time since both teams joined the major leagues in 1969.

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Cincinnati catcher Jason LaRue was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken finger. The Reds did not immediately fill his roster spot.... Arizona first baseman Richie Sexson was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a partially dislocated left shoulder, and the Diamondbacks purchased the contract of outfielder Doug DeVore from triple-A Tucson.