Houston – When Barry Bonds is involved, everything is amplified.
Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park, the controversial San Francisco Giants slugger once again failed to hit career home run No. 714 and catch Babe Ruth for second place in baseball history.
But Houston Astros reliever Russ Springer drilled Bonds in the fifth inning and sparked a roaring standing ovation from the crowd. It also prompted plate umpire Joe West to eject Springer and Houston manager Phil Garner.
Ballpark conspiracy theorists, noting that Springer hit Bonds the previous time he had faced him, in 2004, were quick to say it was a case of bad blood.
The Astros, however, denied intentionally trying to hit Bonds, even though West issued a warning to Springer after the first pitch of the at-bat. With that pitch, Springer threw behind Bonds.
“I thought he missed with a slider, and that’s when the warning came,” Garner said. “We were throwing the ball over the middle of the plate and we wanted to get the ball out of the middle of the plate, but I just thought he missed with his pitches.”
Springer missed badly inside on five pitches, including one that hit Bonds’ bat as he tried to get out of the way. The pitch that hit Bonds in the right shoulder was a 92 mph fastball. Springer and Bonds weren’t available for comment, but Houston catcher Eric Munson insisted Bonds was not a target.
“The pitch that hit him was a cut fastball that just got away from (Springer),” Munson said. “We weren’t trying to hit him, but this is a situation where everything is magnified because it’s Barry. But you still have to be able to pitch a guy inside.”
Bonds went 2-for-4 (two singles) in the Giants’ 14-3 rout. He has been stuck on 713 home runs since his 450-foot shot May 7 in Philadelphia. Since then, he has had 36 plate appearances without a homer. Giants manager Felipe Alou said Bonds is not scheduled to play today against the Astros.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
