Oakland, Calif. – The agonizing wait is over for Barry Bonds. He and the Babe are even at 714.
Bonds tied Babe Ruth for second place on the career home run list Saturday, ending a nine-game homerless stretch with a shot into the first deck of the elevated stands in right-center during the San Francisco Giants’ 4-2, 10-inning victory over the Oakland Athletics.
“This is a great accomplishment because of Babe Ruth and what he brought to the game of baseball and his legacy in the game of baseball,” Bonds said. “This and a World Series ring to me would be the ultimate. He changed the game of baseball. … It’s just great to be in the same class.”
The second-inning drive landed about eight rows up in the seats overlooking the high fence just to the left of the out-of-town scoreboard. Though the A’s don’t provide estimated distances on home runs, this one appeared to travel about 400 feet – far from being one of Bonds’ trademark behemoth drives.
Booed when he was introduced before the game, the slugger received a long standing ovation after his home run, and the game was delayed about 90 seconds.
“This took a lot off me. It’s good,” Bonds said. “A lot of relief. Well, until something else comes up.”
Bonds, dogged by allegations of steroid use and repeated taunts on the road, was immediately greeted by his teammates after circling the bases. They surrounded him at the top of the dugout as Bonds tipped his cap and blew a kiss to his wife and two daughters sitting in the first row.
Bonds had gone 29 at-bats without a homer since hitting No. 713 with a 450-foot shot May 7 in Philadelphia. His 16-year-old son, Nikolai, a Giants bat boy, was waiting for him at home plate, and they embraced.
“I like the fact that ball was crushed,” San Francisco manager Felipe Alou said.
The Giants plan to commemorate No. 715 in their ballpark. Major League Baseball has said it won’t do anything special to celebrate Bonds moving into second place, and a commissioner’s office spokesman said baseball had no comment Saturday.
The ball was caught on the fly by 19-year-old Tyler Snyder of nearby Pleasanton, who was cheered by fans around him and quickly left the Coliseum with his souvenir. When Bonds was told Snyder is an A’s fan, he quipped: “I, um, forgive you. If he doesn’t like me, give me the ball.”
Left-hander Brad Halsey became the 420th pitcher to allow a homer to Bonds, who was San Francisco’s designated hitter in an interleague series against the A’s.
The seven-time NL MVP was booed when his name was announced before the game and again the moment he began walking to the batter’s box. He connected on a 1-1 pitch from Halsey, making history with his sixth home run this season.
“It’s a pretty unbelievable thing,” Astros reliever Brad Lidge said in Houston, where the Giants swept a three-game series earlier in the week. “No matter what kind of controversy surrounds him and no matter what side of the fence you are on as far as what he did or didn’t do with performance- enhancing drugs, you’ve got to admit that it’s a pretty impressive number.”
Bonds came to the plate in the third to chants of “Barry! Barry!” and struck out looking. He flied out to left leading off the sixth and was intentionally walked in the eighth and again in the 10th with none out and runners on second and third.
Bonds had hoped to reach his latest milestone home run at home, where he hit Nos. 500, 600 and 700 along with 660 and 661 to tie and pass his godfather, Willie Mays. In 2001, Bonds hit the final three of his 73 homers at home to break Mark Mc- Gwire’s single-season record of 70.
“I’m just glad it happened in the Bay,” Bonds said. “East Bay, West Bay. I’m just glad it happened here.”
Bonds had 40 plate appearances between Nos. 713 and 714. He had been 4-for-29 (.138) with 10 walks, three intentional, six runs scored, two RBIs and four strikeouts since his previous homer.
