SAN FRANCISCO, Jun 30 (AFP): San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds smacked his 750th career home run here Friday, moving the 42-year-old slugger within six homers of breaking Hank Aaron's all-time US homer record.
Bonds smashed a 3-ball, 2-strike pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks starting hurler Livan Hernandez, a native of Cuba, for his 16th homer of the season to pull the Giants level at 3-3 in the eighth inning.
Arizona needed an extra inning but won the game 4-3 on a solo homer by rookie Miguel Montero, ending the last Giants threat when Bonds grounded out to first base to conclude the game.
Bonds went 2-for-4 with a walk and knocked in two runs for the Giants. Against Hernandez, Bonds improved to 8-for-16 at the plate with four homers.
A doping controversy has nagged Bonds, whose former trainer was among five men convicted in the BALCO steroid scandal. He has insisted he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
Crowds at rival ballparks have taunted and jeered Bonds over the doping accusations but supporters at the Giants home park have cheered his chase and did so again for homer 750, giving several standing ovations after the blast.
The Giants, struggling at the bottom of the National League West division at 33-45, will again face the Diamondbacks on Saturday with Bonds having gone 5-for-10 with one homer and three doubles off Arizona starter Doug Davis.
Bonds, who turns 43 next month, is the subject of a federal grand jury investigation on perjury and tax charges. The jury is set to expire at the end of July but could be extended.
Bonds hits 750th career homer
FE Team | Published: July 01, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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