Bonds Hits First Spring HR Against Padres

Bonds Hits First Spring HR Against Padres

Published: 3/12/06, 4:47 PM EDT
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Barry Bonds needed only four at-bats to find his home run stroke.

Bonds connected for a two-run homer in the fourth inning of San Francisco's Cactus League game against the defending NL West champion San Diego Padres on Sunday, an impressive shot that traveled an estimated 380 feet into the right-field balcony seating.

It was Bonds' first exhibition homer in two years after he missed all of last spring following right knee surgery.

The Giants slugger, who started in left field for the first time and made his second appearance after a start as designated hitter Thursday, hit a 2-1 curveball from Woody Williams to tie the game at 2 after he struck out looking leading off the second.

Mark Sweeney followed Bonds with a solo shot against his former club.

Bonds received a warm welcome from the crowd when he came to the plate in the second for his third at-bat of the spring. He struck out on five pitches on a nasty inside fastball, and plate umpire Shawn Rakos enthusiastically called Bonds out.

Bonds struck out on six pitches and singled in a 6-5 loss to the Angels on Thursday in Tempe.

The 41-year-old Bonds gave way to Todd Linden in left in the fifth. The seven-time NL MVP never came close to making a defensive play.

Bonds was followed onto the field by 14-year-old son Nikolai and personal stretch man Harvey Shields when he headed out to warm up about 20 minutes before first pitch. His godfather Willie Mays, fourth behind Bonds on the career list with 660 homers, watched closely from just outside the dugout near the on-deck circle.

Bonds pulled the hood of his black sweat shirt over his shaven head and joined his teammates for pregame jogging and stretching on a sunny Arizona morning, less than 24 hours after a severe rainstorm that even featured some snow in the area wiped out games Saturday.

Bonds had been set to be the designated hitter for a sold-out game against the Oakland Athletics that was rained out Saturday in Phoenix.

Giants manager Felipe Alou didn't write Bonds into the original lineup Sunday - certainly concerned with the condition of the field at Scottsdale Stadium - but didn't wait long to post a new version replacing Linden with Bonds.

For Bonds, Sunday marked the start of a new week on the heels of last Tuesday's release of excerpts from an upcoming book that reveals in vivid detail his alleged steroid use. "Game of Shadows," written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters, is set for release later this month.

"As players, you have some that are pro-Barry and some that are anti-Barry," said Padres outfielder Eric Young, who spent part of the 2003 season with the Giants. "One thing they cannot dispute is that he's on a level by himself.

"I don't care about the alleged steroids or what they're talking about, this guy was MVP early on in his career. And to be a seven-time MVP, you're a special ballplayer, I don't care what they say. I've been around him, I know him, and his workout routine, if somebody's better, please let me know."

Before his homer, Bonds watched as another man wearing No. 25 - Mike Cameron - hit one out.

Cameron connected for a two-run homer in the first inning after Dave Roberts doubled to get aboard against Matt Cain. The right-hander, beginning his first full major league season, then got three straight outs and finished with six strikeouts and no walks in four innings.

The Giants never asked the Padres for permission to use Bonds as DH - though San Diego manager Bruce Bochy would have been OK with it.

"Early in spring training, I am fine with it because I need some guys to have at-bats, too," Bochy said before the game. "But once pitchers start going five innings, I want my pitchers to hit."

Notes:@ Padres reliever Doug Brocail was recovering in a nearby hospital Sunday after undergoing angioplasty Saturday morning to clear a 99-percent blockage of the left anterior descending artery. The 38-year-old Brocail, who last pitched Wednesday, had complained of chest tightness that radiated into both arms. He already was being treated for an abscessed tooth and asthma. He is expected to be released from the hospital in the next couple of days, then return to San Diego to be monitored. The team still hopes he will pitch this season.
credit BellSouth