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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- When Barry Bonds first saw the Giants' new
Pacific Bell Park this spring, he said the cozy dimensions in right
field would give him no particular advantage. So far, he has proven
himself wrong.
|  | | Barry Bonds homered for the third straight game. He has hit 19 HRs this season. |
Bonds, on a hitting tear since returning from a lower back
injury, homered for the third straight game to lead San Francisco
to a 4-1 win Thursday over the Montreal Expos.
Bonds' three-run homer was his 19th of the season, leaving him
one behind Mark McGwire for the major league lead. It was the 464th
homer by Bonds, moving him within one of tying Dave Winfield for
20th place on the career list.
Though it's only 309 feet to the wall in right, Bonds said
before the season that most of his power is to the alleys and that
he'd have no special advantage as a left-handed hitter.
But he's the only player to have splashed a ball into McCovey
Cove behind the right-field wall -- he's done it four times -- and
Thursday's homer barely cleared the brick wall in right.
"It doesn't matter which ballpark," Giants manager Dusty Baker
said. "If you can hit, you can hit -- and Barry can hit."
Bonds, who also had an RBI single and a double while going
3-for-4, homered in each of the three games in the series against
the Expos. He hit a solo shot Wednesday night in the Giants' 18-0
win, the most lopsided loss in Montreal history.
Bonds, who missed four games last week with a sprained joint in
his back, is hitting .588 (10-for-17) in his five games since
returning, with four homers, four doubles and 12 RBI.
"When you're in a groove, you're just in a groove," Bonds
said. "I had a good spring. I've been pretty much in a groove
since then."
And though Bonds said he hasn't thought about whether the park
is good for him, he clearly enjoys playing at Pac Bell more than he
did on windy Candlestick Point.
"I love it here. I like the ballpark, period," Bonds said.
"Anything is better than where we were, man."
Twelve of Bonds' last 14 hits have been for extra bases, with
eight homers and four doubles. His homer Thursday came with two
outs in the third, after pitcher Livan Hernandez singled and Marvin
Benard walked, and his RBI single came in the seventh.
"You're trying not to give Bonds anything to hit. You don't
want that guy to beat you," Montreal catcher Lenny Webster said.
"The way he's been swinging the bat against us, especially here,
if you miss one time he takes advantage."
Hernandez (3-5) allowed one run on five hits in eight innings,
matching his career high with nine strikeouts. Robb Nen pitched the
ninth for his seventh save in nine opportunities. It was Nen's
192nd save, tying him with Mitch Williams for 26th place on the
career list.
Jose Vidro had a sacrifice fly in the eighth for the Expos.
Tony Armas (0-2) allowed four runs on eight hits in 6 1/3
innings for Montreal.
"Armas pitched well. He made one bad pitch and the guy (Bonds)
was hot and he hit it," Montreal manager Felipe Alou said. "He's
a good hitter. He didn't crush it, but he hit it up. Other than
that he made good pitches all day."
Game
notes
San Francisco won for just the third time in 12 games. ...
The loss was the third in the last 10 games for the Expos. ...
Hernandez has hit safely in 14 of his last 26 starts. ... Montreal
reliever Jim Poole got two outs in the seventh, lowering his ERA
from 135.00 to 45.00. ... The Giants have won 10 of their last 12
games at home, after losing seven of their first eight at Pac Bell
Park. ... The Expos called up catcher Charlie O'Brien from the
minors, placed LHP Matt Blank on the 15-day disabled list with a
strained left forearm and put RHP Scott Strickland to the 60-day
disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis. O'Brien struck out as
a pinch-hitter to end Thursday's game.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Montreal Clubhouse
San Francisco Clubhouse
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