Chicago – Barry Bonds knows it’s real now.
His worst slump is over and Hank Aaron’s record can’t be far behind. For all those days he opted not to talk about it, he can no longer avoid it.
Bonds moved within two home runs of Aaron’s mark Thursday, sending No. 752 over the right-field bleachers on the first pitch he saw, and his 753rd into the basket on the wall in left-center.
He was ready, all right, breaking out of his longest offensive funk in six years on a pair of fresh, rested legs.
The San Francisco slugger returned to the starting lineup for the first time in four games after sitting to let his sore lower body recover, though his two homers weren’t enough for the Giants in a 9-8 loss to the surging Chicago Cubs.
In case Bonds had somehow forgotten what he was chasing, the commemorative balls being used when he bats are providing constant reminders.
Bonds sent the first pitch he saw from Cubs starter Ted Lilly high over the right-field fence leading off the second – and it was the first drive to reach Sheffield Avenue all season. Then he homered again in the seventh, a three-run shot off Will Ohman.
Ohman became the 443rd different pitcher to give up a home run to Bonds, who has 19 homers on the year. It was Bonds’ 71st multihomer game, second all-time behind Babe Ruth’s 72, and second this season.
