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Bonds Hits No. 750 In Loss To Diamondbacks

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Bonds Hits No. 750 In Loss To Diamondbacks

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Barry Bonds is going to have a harder time enjoying his home runs if the Giants keep losing close games.

Bonds hit his 750th career home run, an inning after getting a startling hug from a fan in a 4-3, 10-inning loss to Arizona on Friday night. The homer pulled the San Francisco slugger within five of tying Hank Aaron's record, but Miguel Montero hit a solo homer off Brad Hennessey (1-3) in the 10th for the Diamondbacks, who sent San Francisco to its third straight defeat.

Tony Pena (3-1) pitched a perfect ninth and Jose Valverde finished for his 26th save in 29 chances. Valverde got Bonds to ground out to first to end it.

The 42-year-old Bonds led off the eighth inning with a solo shot off D-backs starter Livan Hernandez to tie the game at 3. Watching the ball sail over the wall in right-center, he lowered his head and began his trot. The main center-field scoreboard immediately featured a road sign reading "Bonds 750" in the middle and "Road to History" on either side.

The home run came an inning after a fan gave everybody a scare when he hopped the fence and ran out to Bonds in left field. The seven-time NL MVP calmly greeted the man and walked him off and into the custody of security personnel.

The fan came out over the short fence along the left-field line and scurried to Bonds while Orlando Hudson was batting. Bonds didn't flinch, putting his arm around the man and walking him off the field—and fans began chants of "Barry! Barry!"

Bonds drove a 3-2 pitch an estimated 380 feet for his 16th home run of the season and first in exactly a week since connecting off Yankees reliever Scott Proctor on June 22. It was Bonds' first homer in 14 at-bats and 23 plate appearances—and the fourth of his career against former Giant Hernandez, who last surrendered a home run to Bonds on Aug. 24, 2006. It was Bonds' 39th against Arizona.

Bonds also had an RBI single in the first, drew his 79th walk in the third and popped out in the sixth.

He received a standing ovation when he walked to left field in the top of the ninth, tipping his hat to the crowd. Bonds' batboy son, Nikolai, is nursing an ankle injury and wasn't at home plate to greet him with a hug as is their typical routine.

Dave Roberts dropped a routine fly ball in center field while on the run, committing a two-base error in the seventh that scored two runs to give the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead. It also cost Matt Morris the victory.

Hernandez's winless streak reached six starts since he beat Houston on May 27.

Ryan Klesko had given the Giants a 2-1 lead with a splash hit home run into McCovey Cove in the sixth after Bonds' hit a high popup for the inning's first out. It was the 44th home run by Giants batter into the water, where several kayaks were on patrol for a souvenir ball. Klesko hit the water for the second time this year and third in his career. He did it while playing for the San Diego Padres in 2003. Bonds has 33 of the club's splash hits, including one this season.

Stephen Drew hit an RBI double in the third that tied the game at 1. Arizona won for the first time in four tries in San Francisco this season.

Morris hasn't beaten Arizona in five tries since a win June 15, 2006. He dropped his second straight decision overall. The right-hander also took a tough 1-0 loss on June 6 at Chase Field despite eight strong innings.

Notes:@ Giants SS Omar Vizquel returned to the starting lineup after being held out of games Tuesday and Wednesday with a strained right groin. Vizquel singled in the second and stole his seventh base of the year. ... The D-backs played just their second extra-innings game in 18, while it was the fourth in the Giants' last six contests. San Francisco's 12 extra-innings games leads the NL.

(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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