Giants avoid first 0-3 start in 23 years

Barry Bonds had a run-scoring double, Ray Durham hit a go-ahead two-run single after a walk to Bonds in the decisive fifth, and Matt Morris pitched six strong innings Thursday night to lift San Francisco to a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Bruce Bochy beat his old team for his first win as Giants manager, and San Francisco avoided its first 0-3 start in 23 years. The Giants have lost their first three games only four times since the team moved from New York in 1958.

Josh Bard hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth for the Padres, but Armando Benitez got Mike Cameron to pop out with runners on first and second for his first save.

Morris didn’t give up a hit until Bard’s two-out single to left-center in the fourth.

A game after Bonds hit home run No. 735 -- moving him to within 20 of Hank Aaron’s record of 755 -- Bonds doubled off the wall in right-center in the first inning to score Dave Roberts from first for a 1-0 lead, with Roberts sliding headfirst into home.

After grounding out in the third, Bonds came up with two out and runners on first and second in the fifth after consecutive walks to Roberts and Omar Vizquel. The slugger walked on five pitches, then Durham lined a two-run single to right for a 3-1 lead. The Padres’ problems didn’t stop there, either.

Manager Bud Black praised his team’s defense before the game, then saw a big blunder during the four-run fifth right after Durham’s big hit.

Shortstop Khalil Greene was tracing a fly ball from Rich Aurilia in shallow left and rookie third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff backpedaled into Greene and knocked him down -- and the ball fell to the ground for a base hit. Bonds scored on the play and could be seen chuckling in the dugout afterward. He flied out to center in the seventh and his night was done. Todd Linden replaced him in left field to start the eighth.