Giants Ring Bell in New Park

Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants finally made themselves at home in their new ballpark.

Bonds led off the eighth inning with his ninth home run of the season and the Giants defeated the Montreal Expos, 2-1, on Saturday for their first win in seven games at Pacific Bell Park.

“We haven’t been able to find good luck here,” Bonds said. “Kirk [Rueter] kept us in the game the whole time and gave us something to look forward to.”

The Giants were the first team to lose six straight games to start its stay in a newly constructed facility. The expansion New York Mets dropped their first seven games at the Polo Grounds in 1962.

Bonds ended the Giants’ home woes when he hit an 0-1 pitch from Anthony Telford (3-2) into the left-center field seats.

“I was excited because I made contact,” Bonds said. “I was stinking out there. [Hitting coach] Gene Clines told me I had to go to left field a little bit. I stood in the outfield after the home run and everybody was getting excited. I told them to calm down, it wasn’t over yet.”

John Johnstone (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to pick up the win, and Robb Nen got three outs for his fourth save.

Rueter allowed one run and three hits in seven innings. He had two walks and four strikeouts.

“Give the credit to Rueter,” Expo starter Javier Vazquez said. “He pitched a great game. Our team has been hitting the ball hard and he kind of shut us down.”

New York 13, Colorado 6--Todd Pratt, filling in for injured catcher Mike Piazza, had his first career four-hit game as the Mets tied a team record with 23 hits in a win over the Rockies at Denver.

Pratt made only his fifth start of the season but will handle the catching duties as Piazza recovers from a bruised right wrist and hyperextended elbow.

Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 5--Second baseman Warren Morris’ two-base error allowed the Reds to score the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning at Pittsburgh.

After Morris had given the Pirates a 5-4 lead with a solo homer off Scott Williamson (2-2) in the seventh, Jason Christiansen (1-2) walked Sean Casey to open the eighth and gave up a single to Ken Griffey Jr.

Jose Silva came in to face Dante Bichette, who got the fifth sacrifice bunt of his career and first since July 22, 1992. One out later, Silva threw a wild pitch to Aaron Boone that allowed Casey to score the tying run. Morris then was handcuffed by Boone’s soft liner that skipped off his glove and into short right field for the error.

Houston 10, Milwaukee 3--The Astros took advantage of 14 walks--including nine by Everett Stull--as they defeated the Brewers at Milwaukee despite getting only five hits.

The teams combined for 23 walks, including a franchise-record 14 by Milwaukee. The Brewers’ previous record was 13 walks--done four times.

Arizona 7, Chicago 4--Pinch-hitter Erubiel Durazo drove in the game-winner with a two-run single in the 10th inning as the visiting Diamondbacks defeated the Cubs.

St. Louis 7, Philadelphia 6--Mark McGwire hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Cardinals defeated the Phillies at Philadelphia despite blowing a four-run lead in the eighth inning.

Craig Paquette hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, who have homered in 22 of 24 games and have 53 homers this month, a major league record for April.

Atlanta 7, San Diego 4--Andruw Jones hit a three-run homer with one out in the 12th inning at San Diego and John Rocker came on to earn his fifth save as the Braves won their 12th in a row.

Jones’ towering shot to left on a 3-1 pitch from Vicente Palacios (0-1) was his sixth home run.

Rocker was booed by what remained of the crowd of 49,428, and a fan threw something at him. Whatever it was didn’t hit Rocker, and the fan was ejected. It was Rocker’s first road appearance since his two-week suspension for comments about gays, minorities and immigrants.