Bonds hits homer No. 70; 3 games left to set record
Associated Press
HOUSTON — Barry Bonds took out all his frustrations on a belt-high fastball and with one big swing, No. 70 went sailing into the upper deck in right field.
Associated Press
Just when it looked like he had no chance last night, Bonds tied Mark McGwire's home run record — a feat even Big Mac thought might last a lifetime when he did it a mere three years ago.
San Francisco's Barry Bonds ended a frustrating three-game series in Houston by leading off the ninth inning with his record-tying 70th homer of the season.
Bonds, son of an All-Star and godson of a home run king, has three games left to make history all his own.
"It was electrifying," he said.
Given nothing to hit by Houston pitchers throughout the three-game series, Bonds finally got something he liked when he led off the ninth inning. He did not miss, launching a 454-foot shot off rookie Wilfredo Rodriguez.
"I was happy I made contact. It's hard to just take pitches all the time," he said. "You really don't have an opportunity to swing."
The record crowd of 43,734 at Enron Field, which had booed when Astros pitchers walked him, rewarded him with a standing ovation.
Associated Press
The Giants won 10-2, completing a sweep that kept them two games behind Arizona in the NL West with only a weekend series left at home against Los Angeles.
Bonds brought his 10-year-old daughter, Shakari, to the postgame news conference.
"I got frustrated when it was 8-1 and they intentionally walked me because it was not a really crucial situation. That's when I got really frustrated," Bonds said.
Until he homered, Bonds had singled twice in five at-bats and gotten eight walks in the series. He had 19 plate appearances, including 10 walks, and twice was hit by pitches since hitting No. 69 on Saturday.
