Bonds’ Homer Puts Him Back in Chase

The sellout crowd at SBC Park came for one moment, and Barry Bonds delivered it.

The Giant slugger drove a 1-0 pitch from Brad Penny into the right-center-field stands in the first inning, his first home run since Sept. 26, 2004, when he homered against Dodger Jeff Weaver.

The run batted in was his 1,844th, tying him with Carl Yastrzemski for ninth all-time, and his chase of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, the only players who have hit more home runs, has resumed.

“If I keep playing, I’ll get there,” Bonds said.

Bonds came close to hitting home runs twice in his first game back and Thursday hit a ball into McCovey Cove that was foul by inches.

*

Penny has been less susceptible to the long ball than teammates Weaver, who has given up 32 home runs, and Derek Lowe, who has given up 27.

But Giant outfielder Randy Winn led off the first inning with his 15th home run, and Bonds homered with two out. Penny has given up 17 home runs in 174 2/3 innings and has given up 96 homers in 968 career innings.

Walks hurt the Dodgers as bad as the home runs.

Penny walked opposing pitcher Brett Tomko with one out in the fifth, triggering a two-run inning. And Duaner Sanchez issued a lead-off walk to Jason Ellison in the ninth.

“I lost the game because I walked that guy,” Sanchez said.

*

Cesar Izturis had Tommy John surgery Friday, and although Dodger officials said the procedure was “successful,” the word had an odd ring because of how long the Gold Glove shortstop will be out.

The most optimistic projection is for Izturis to return by next season’s All-Star break. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 23 because of lower back pain, so by then he will have been inactive for nearly 11 months

“That’s a target date, not a guarantee,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “Because of the position he plays, and the arm angles he must use to play that position, it’s difficult to know when he’ll be ready.”

Izturis’ recovery time is cloudy because Tommy John surgery normally is performed on pitchers. Tracy didn’t know whether Izturis would be able to swing a bat before beginning to throw, or whether he would be game-ready as a hitter before being ready to play defense.