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PITTSBURGH -- For one night, all was forgiven between Barry
Bonds and Pittsburgh. The lack of clutch hitting during three
playoff series failures. The throw that didn't get Sid Bream. The
shouting match with Jim Leyland. As a few cheer-filled hours Monday nearly made up for 15 years
of constant jeering, Barry Bonds was Pittsburgh's own again. They
greeted him more warmly than they did their own players, displayed
signs in his honor and gave him multiple standing ovations. The way baseball's new home run king was greeted in the city
that once booed him like no other -- where were all those "Barr-ee!
Barr-ee!" chants of the past -- it almost seemed as if he were a
Pirates player again. Almost. "That goes to show you Pittsburgh people, they understand the
game," Bonds said in his first road appearance since breaking Hank
Aaron's cherished home run record a week ago. "They were always
great to me when I was here. When I was here, we never got booed.
We brought a lot of excitement and they appreciated that." He brought that excitement again, even if he was limited to a
single in three at-bats in the opener of a Giants-Pirates
doubleheader split. The crowd of 25,434 wasn't close to being a
sellout, but was far more than the Pirates normally would get for a
Monday night makeup twinbill that wasn't listed on their original
schedule. "He got a really nice hand, and I'm glad," said Paul Maholm,
who beat the Giants 3-1 on a three-hitter in the opener. "He
deserved it. He's had a great career and it all started here for
him. It was a great thrill just pitching to him because I grew up
watching him just like everybody else. It was kind of cool to get
him out a couple of times." Bonds said it was cool to be back in Pittsburgh, too, for what
might have been the final time since he broke in with the Pirates
21 years ago. The Giants are likely to go young after this season,
and the 43-year-old Bonds may have to be a designated hitter AL
next year to get his at-bats. "I don't know, could be," Bonds said when asked if this might
be his final stop in Pittsburgh. "I'll wait and see." In the only other NL game, the Astros beat the Dodgers 4-1 in
Los Angeles. Becoming baseball's career home run record holder didn't
completely win over the Pirates' fans -- there were a few boos
during every plate appearance -- but it was by far the warmest
response he's gotten since leaving after the 1992 season. The last moment Bonds spent with the Pirates, his throw home
that didn't get the slow-afoot Bream and allowed Atlanta to beat
the Pirates 3-2 in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS, has remained in the
memory banks of countless Pirates fans. So did his .191 average in
68 playoff at-bats from 1990-92, and those three lone postseason
extra-base hits. Those 758 homers he's hit during the regular season aren't as
important to many Pittsburghers as the one single playoff homer he
hit for the Pirates. It was those failings, and not the much-later allegations
involving performance-enhancing drugs and the BALCO lab, that
turned Pittsburgh against him. The fans even tolerated his 1991
spring training blowup with Leyland, the manager he now respects
above all others. But the Pirates haven't had a winning season since Bonds left --
they are 14 losses away from a 15th consecutive losing season, one
short of the record. Now, those days with Bonds patrolling left
field in Three Rivers Stadium are being remembered more fondly. "It was nice, it was great, I was happy," Bonds said of the
warm welcome. "After all the years you played here and you come
back and get that kind of welcome, it's nice." Bonds also dropped a bit of news during his brief stay in town.
After previously saying he intended to play in 2008 and beyond, he
now seems convinced next season will be his last. "(Playing) after next year? I don't know. I don't think so,"
Bonds said. "I don't think so. I don't think two years I can
make." So, if this was goodbye to Pittsburgh, at least it was a
pleasant one. "When you're an opposing player, they're supposed to get on
you," said Bonds, who sat out the second game. "That's what gives
you that drive to play, when it seems the odds are against you." While Bonds' potential farewell was memorable, the doubleheader
wasn't. After Bonds was held to a single as the Giants lost the
opener, they beat the Pirates for the first time in five games over
four days in two cities, winning 10-3 behind Noah Lowry (13-7),
Ryan Klesko's grand slam and Rajai Davis' hitting and fielding. Davis had two of his three doubles for the day in the second
game. He also made an exceptional sprawling catch of Freddy
Sanchez's drive to deep left-center with the scored tied at 1 in
the fifth. Davis, who played sparingly with the Pirates before they all but
gave him away in the Matt Morris trade on July 31, said he wasn't
trying to show up his former team. His 8-for-19 (.421) performance
with four doubles, a triple and six runs scored against them since
Friday said otherwise. "I'm just trying to put good wood on the ball and things have
been falling for me," Davis said.
^Astros 4, Dodgers 1= At Los Angeles, Jason Lane hit a two-run homer, Roy Oswalt won
his fifth consecutive decision and Houston sent slumping Los
Angeles to its ninth loss in 11 games. Oswalt (13-6) gave up a run and six hits in eight innings with
two walks and three strikeouts. The right-hander hasn't allowed
more than one run in any start during his winning streak. Chad Qualls pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in six
chances. Chad Billingsley (7-4) allowed four runs and six hits, struck
out seven and walked four in losing his fourth consecutive outing.
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