Bonds' birthday bash / Saves game with arm, then wins it with bat

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The chants of "BAR-RY, BAR-RY" had quieted only long enough for the Giants' 19th consecutive sellout crowd to settle back on their seats and let the anticipation build oh-so-briefly at the sight of the player strolling to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.

Thursday afternoon's game against Arizona was still tied 2-2 only because Barry Bonds had made a perfect peg in the top half of the inning, nailing Craig Counsell trying to score from second on Shea Hillenbrand's ground single to left.

What's that old baseball axiom about the player who closes out an inning with a great defensive play usually leading off the next inning? Surely there isn't a corollary to it pertinent to that player also hitting the game-winning homer on his birthday.

There might be now. Call it the Bonds Principle.

Pouncing on the first pitch from reliever Mike Myers, a left-handed submariner brought in expressly to face him, Bonds launched a drive over the fence in left-center to send the Giants to their eighth straight win, this one by a 3-2 count over the sagging Diamondbacks.

07/25/03 | Color | 3star | 65 picas x full | 1 | Sports | jmm 8006 | bonds 07/25/03 | Color | 3star | 65 picas x full | 1 | Sports | jmm 8006 | bonds Photo: CHRIS STEWART Photo: CHRIS STEWART Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Bonds' birthday bash / Saves game with arm, then wins it with bat 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Bonds' exploits allowed the Giants to increase their NL West lead over Arizona to a season-high 11 games, and they also brought forth a torrent of testimonials about the five-time MVP.

"That's why he's probably the greatest player in the game," said D'backs left fielder Luis Gonzalez, a fellow All-Star. "I hope I'm hitting like that when I'm 39 too, throwing out runners at the plate and hitting game-winning homers."

Giants reliever Jason Christiansen, who struck out Gonzalez on three pitches right before Hillenbrand's single, was even more effusive. Christiansen said he knew as soon as the ball got through the infield that Bonds was going to throw out Counsell. He also had a premonition about the homer.

"I was sitting next to (Jim) Brower and I told him, 'First pitch, he's going to take him deep right here,' " Christiansen said. "No joke. I was halfway to the plate before the ball even got halfway out. It's amazing to watch. He's the best player who's ever played the game."

He surpassed a pretty good one in Willie McCovey, as the homer put Bonds in first place on the San Francisco home-run list with 470. Bonds rushed out of the clubhouse only moments after coming out for a curtain call, saying he was about to visit his ailing father, Bobby, who has cancer.

"My dad's in the hospital right now; gotta go," he said.

Bonds would not have been in position to play the hero if it weren't for Ray Durham, who snapped out of a 1-for-18 funk with a power display to rival his more noted teammate.

Through eight innings the Giants managed only four hits against Arizona starter Brandon Webb, an impressive rookie who came in third in the NL in ERA with a 2.45 mark. Three of those hits were by Durham, and two of them left the park.

The second homer -- a no-doubter to the back of the arcade in right -- tied the game 2-2 in the eighth. Durham barely missed his first career three-homer game, as his fifth-inning drive to center field reached the wall on the fly. He settled for a double and looked back quizzically to center, wondering how the shot failed to clear the fence.

"I was hoping somebody would reach their hand over and grab it," Durham said with a laugh. "It hit right above the 'V' in the VISA sign."

Credit for the victory, in the eyes of manager Felipe Alou, belonged to the bullpen, which stitched together a crafty 12-hitter to complete the four-game sweep of the Diamondbacks.

Chad Zerbe made only his second start in 105 appearances and combined with Matt Herges for 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball. Alou had been saving them in anticipation of needing innings from them on Thursday, but still didn't tell Zerbe he was starting until late the night before.

The rotation returns to normal tonight, so Zerbe -- whose roster spot might be on the line -- was happy to contribute 4 2/3 effective innings when he got the call.

"It's awesome, especially against the team that's behind us, second in the NL West," Zerbe said. "I just wanted to keep the team as close as possible, and give our offense a chance to score some runs and take the lead."

They finally did for good in the ninth, thanks to that fellow who turned 39.

Chasing Mays 14 Numbers of home runs Barry Bonds Bonds: 646 Mays: 660 Ruth: 714 Aaron: 755