Sunday, June 24, 2001
Bonds hits 39th HR
Giants slugger on pace for 85
By R.B. Fallstrom
AP Sports Writer
ST. LOUIS — Barry Bonds became the fastest player to 39 home runs, but the San Francisco Giants lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 Saturday night on Mike Matheny's RBI single in the ninth inning.
Bonds hit a two-run shot off Darryl Kile in the first inning, getting to 39 homers in 74 games and putting him on a pace to hit 85 homers - 15 more than Mark McGwire's record. Babe Ruth was the previous fastest to 39, doing it in 89 games in 1928.
“It's great,” Bonds said. “To be compared in that kind of category is nice. You don't think it'll ever be me.
“Mark (McGwire) and guys like that, sure.”
The homer also extended Bonds' total, already the best in major league history, before the All-Star game. The Giants have 14 games to go before the break.
Bonds crossed home mostly to applause from a sellout crowd of 48,517, with a few scattered boos.
Mark McGwire, whose record could be in jeopardy, walked twice, popped out and singled.
With 533 career homers, Bonds is one behind Jimmie Foxx for 10th place on the career list.
The Cardinals rallied for three runs against Felix Rodriguez, taking a 5-4 lead, then scored the game-winner in the ninth after the Giants tied it on consecutive doubles by Calvin Murray and Ramon Martinez in the top of the inning.
Alan Embree (0-2) walked Jim Edmonds, who stole second as Ray Lankford struck out. Albert Pujols was walked intentionally and Edgar Renteria walked on a full count before Matheny's hit off Robb Nen on an 0-2 count ended it.
“Something funky always happens here,” Giants manager Dusty Baker said. “In my mind, this was one that got away.”
Matheny, who's batting .220, stranded seven runners his first three at-bats and left the bases loaded in the sixth. He also tied it with a single in the eighth.
“That was hard to swallow,” Matheny said. “It's great to see I had another opportunity in the game to do something different.”
In the eighth, Craig Paquette also drove in a run with his third hit, and the go-ahead run scored when first baseman Felipe Crespo threw the ball into left field trying to start a double play on Kerry Robinson's grounder.
“I threw it away,” Crespo said. “That's my quote. That's all there is to it.”
Jason Christiansen (1-0) struck out pinch-hitter Eric Davis to end the top of the ninth with runners on first and second.
Kile, who's 5-14 with a 7.01 ERA for his career against the Giants, allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked none.
Kile hit his second career homer, and first since July 3, 1993, leading off the third.
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