The list of pitchers who have served up home runs to Barry Bonds reads like baseball royalty. It includes Dwight Gooden, Greg Maddux, Orel Hershiser and Curt Schilling.
In fact, 16 Cy Young winners have been victimized by Bonds.
Saturday night, Rockies right-hander Aaron Cook became the 417th pitcher to surrender a homer to Bonds. But that amazing fact was of scant comfort to Cook after the Rockies lost 6-4.
“He’s hit them off a lot of guys, but it never feels good to give up a home run. It doesn’t matter who’s hitting them,” Cook said.
With his best pitch floating instead of sinking in the strike zone, Cook gave up three homers, matching his career high. Omar Vizquel led off with a laser to right, and Ray Durham’s solo shot to right in the third put the Giants ahead 3-0. But it was Bonds’ first-inning homer – a 384-footer to right field, his first of the season and 709th of his career – that took center stage at Coors Field.
“I have to put everything I have into my first at-bat, all of my energy,” the 41-year-old Bonds said. “In the later innings I kind of die out.”
It took Bonds 31 at-bats and 14 games to hit his first homer of the season. The 14 games is the longest season-opening drought of his career. He joked that the homer will boost his ESPN TV show, “Bonds on Bonds.”
“It’s good for the show. They finally get to show a highlight of me hitting a home run,” Bonds said.
Bonds needs five home runs to match and six to pass Babe Ruth for second place on baseball’s all-time list. Bonds is scheduled to rest today.
While Bonds was finally getting on track, the Rockies were playing with the knowledge that star first baseman Todd Helton remains in the hospital battling a stomach illness.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Todd, but we knew we had to come out here and compete tonight,” said Matt Holliday, whose three-run homer in the fifth cut the Giants’ lead to 5-4.
It was Holliday’s second three-run shot in as many nights.
Bonds’ homer came in front of an announced crowd of 36,035, the biggest at Coors Field since opening day. There was the usual chorus of boos for one of the most dangerous, and most controversial, players to ever suit up. Cook went after Bonds with all he had.
“This was the first time I faced him four times in the same game, but I treat him just like everybody else,” Cook said.
After scoring four runs in the ninth Friday night to beat the Giants 9-8, the Rockies appeared poised to rally again Saturday. With two out, Luis Gonzalez on third and Cory Sullivan on second, Clint Barmes had a chance to play hero. He struck out swinging on a 3-2 fastball from Armando Benitez.
“There is not a better situation to be in, and I want to be the guy in there every night if I could,” Barmes said. “My job is to get on base and keep it alive like we did last night. I didn’t get the job done tonight.”
Day decision
In the wake of the Rockies’ decision Friday to designate pitcher Zach Day for assignment, Day is seeking a second medical opinion on his right shoulder, according to agent Brian Goldberg. The Rockies said Day is scheduled to see a doctor Tuesday in Cincinnati.
If Day’s doctor determines that the injury prevents him from pitching and that Day should be on the disabled list, the Rockies’ roster move could be rescinded and Day could file a grievance.
Footnote
Taking Helton’s place on the 25-man roster was outfielder Ryan Spilborghs, who moved up from Triple-A Colorado Springs. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated pitcher Eduardo Sierra for assignment. Sierra was obtained in last year’s Shawn Chacon trade with the Yankees.
Rockies recap
The Rockies have had no trouble earning respect or making enemies this season. With San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy and San Francisco Giants skipper Felipe Alou already unhappy with Rockies manager Clint Hurdle – Bochy is mad about Brian Giles being hit; Alou is peeved at the walks issued slugger Barry Bonds on Friday night – an old feud resurfaced Saturday night.
Living up to his word that he never will forgive Omar Vizquel after the shortstop ripped him in his 2002 auto- biography, Rockies reliever Jose Mesa plunked the Giants’ leadoff hitter in the eighth inning.
Vizquel and Mesa were close friends and teammates with the Cleveland Indians from 1992-98, but had a falling out that grew more tense when Vizquel was critical of Mesa’s blown save in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series.
Mesa was fined $500 the last time he hit Vizquel.
“It’s getting a little old,” Vizquel said. “It’s surprising he can still remember and still hold that grudge.”
Added Mesa: “I don’t hold a grudge against anybody. Just trying to pitch my game. I don’t care what they (Giants) think.”
UNUSUAL ERROR: Rockies second baseman Luis Gonzalez entered Saturday’s game having not made an error in 107 consecutive games, 16 short of the record, but dropped a throw in the fifth from third baseman Jason Smith.
Troy E. Renck contributed to this report.
