Bonds plunking is ‘under investigation’
With Bonds taking day off, Giants complete sweep of Astros
 Dave Einsel / AP Barry Bonds ducks as he is hit by a pitch by Houston Astros pitcher Russ Springer on Tuesday. |
HOUSTON - The San Francisco Giants completed their first three-game series sweep of the season with Barry Bonds on the bench.
The slugger received some much-needed rest, and watched Ray Durham hit a three-run homer and single in a run for a season-high four RBIs and Matt Morris win for the first time in seven starts in a 10-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.
Pedro Feliz, who has played every inning this season for the Giants, hit a two-run homer and a run-scoring single to give him 10 RBIs in the series.
Mark Sweeney doubled and drove in three runs and a Giants offense that had been so stagnant at times is suddenly clicking. San Francisco outscored Houston 34-5 at hitter friendly Minute Maid Park, jumping to big leads each day on the way to matching its longest winning streak of the season.
“Sometimes you play well in some ballparks,” Jose Vizcaino said. “We play well here. Too bad we only come once a year.”
Manager Felipe Alou’s take: “Maybe they like Minute Maid oranges.”
Bonds remained the buzz of the ballpark a day after being plunked by Astros reliever Russ Springer — and he wasn’t even in the starting lineup.
|
Springer? He was out of the state.
Major League Baseball on Wednesday had already begun reviewing Bonds’ at-bat leading off the fifth inning Tuesday night against Springer, in which the pitcher’s first offering sailed behind Bonds’ back to draw a warning from plate umpire Joe West.
The next four pitches all came inside, including one that caromed off Bonds’ bat handle on the third delivery for strike one. On the fifth pitch, Springer hit Bonds in the right shoulder as he turned to protect himself.
|
After being ejected, Springer left to a standing ovation — something that deeply disturbed Alou.
“It bothered me a lot, because a lot of children were watching,” Alou said. “Find another way to express your feelings, whatever they are — not in front of millions of people.”
Bonds, meanwhile, barely reacted to being hit, calmly taking first base without a word or a glance toward the right-hander. Springer took off immediately after the game to be with his wife when she underwent surgery Wednesday morning in Louisiana.
|
Bonds didn’t address it with the media after the game or again beforehand Wednesday, when he entertained himself by playing cards with trainer Greg Oliver — perhaps a brief distraction from the pressure surrounding his pursuit of Babe Ruth.
After the game, he sat in the office of visiting clubhouse manager Steve Perry staring at a collection of about 300 bobblehead dolls and doing a TV segment for his show “Bonds on Bonds” before being driven away on a cart.
The chase resumes Friday at Oakland, and Bonds should be fresh following an off day.
The seven-time NL MVP was stalled at 713 homers, one shy of tying Ruth for second place on the career list behind home run king Hank Aaron’s 755. Bonds is homerless in eight games and 26 at-bats since a 450-foot shot to right at Philadelphia on May 7.
Bonds had played eight straight days, his longest stretch in the starting lineup without a break since playing 10 consecutive days from June 18-27, 2004, though he was available to pinch hit in the finale of a three-game series with Houston. Alou expects Bonds to play designated hitter in all three games against the A’s.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM BARRY BONDS |
 Barry Bonds Section Front |
| Add Barry Bonds headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links