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Bonds one shy of 600

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds hit his 599th homer Tuesday night, a 432-foot three-run shot into right-centerfield at Pacific Bell Park, helping the Giants win an 11-10 slugfest against the Cubs.

With his 32nd homer of the season, Bonds moved within one of joining Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays as the only players with 600 or more.

Bonds struck out looking in the fifth inning and walked in the seventh.

With the bases loaded in the the eighth, Jeff Kent hit a hard shot to third and Bill Mueller threw the ball past Fred McGriff to give San Francisco the go-ahead runs. Bonds was walked intentionally and was removed for a pinch hitter.

Bonds' latest homer was a big drive of the sort he launched with regularity during the 2001 season, when he hit 73.

With Rich Aurilia and Jeff Kent on base, Bonds crushed a 1-and-2 pitch into one of the park's farthest reaches. Bonds stood in the batter's box to admire his hit, then slowly circled the bases. He gave a curtain call to the sellout crowd moments later.

Bonds' father, Bobby, also cheered from the stands. Bobby Bonds had surgery last month to remove a cancerous tumor from his kidney.

Bonds, whose chase for the milestone was slowed by a hamstring injury that kept him out for most of two weeks, also homered in his previous two games at Pittsburgh before the Giants returned home.

Bonds' 599th came against Cubs rookie Steve Smyth, whose major-league debut wasn't a pleasant one. Bonds also doubled against Smyth.

Cards crushed again

ST. LOUIS -- Masato Yoshii pitched a seven-hitter to win for the first time since April 16, and the top three in the Montreal Expos' order began 8-for-8 Tuesday night in a 10-1 victory over the slumping Cardinals.

Scott Rolen's first home game with St. Louis was a quiet one after the 35-second standing ovation before his first at-bat. He was 0-for-3 with three groundouts, stranding three his first two at-bats, and is 0-for-18 since getting two hits in each of his first two games with the Cardinals.

The Central leaders are 1-6 since acquiring Rolen from the Phillies on July 29 and have been outscored 41-13 in that stretch. They've lost six in a row for the first time since June 26-July 3 last season.

Another recent acquisition for the Cardinals, Chuck Finley, lasted only 22/3 innings in his second-shortest outing in 22 starts this season.

METS 5, BREWERS 1: Mike Piazza hit his 327th home run as a catcher, tying Johnny Bench for second-most at the position, and visiting New York stopped a five-game losing streak.

Pedro Astacio pitched a three-hitter for his third complete game in 22 starts this season and the 30th in his career. He struck out a season-high 10 and walked three.

Piazza's two-run homer in the first inning was his 23rd of the season. The only player to hit more career home runs as a catcher was Carlton Fisk (351).

PIRATES 3, DODGERS 1: Josh Fogg pitched into the eighth and visiting Pittsburgh got home runs from Adam Hyzdu, Kevin Young and Jason Kendall. Fogg allowed a run on eight hits over 71/3 in the longest of his 23 career starts.

ASTROS 2, MARLINS 0: Dave Mlicki won for the first time in eight starts and Lance Berkman drove in two runs to lift host Houston. Mlicki, placed on the disabled list May 26 with a strained muscle in his left rib cage, hadn't won since April 27 in Atlanta.

ROCKIES 7, REDS 6: Denny Stark continued his mastery of Coors Field for Colorado. In six starts at the hitter-friendly ballpark this season, Stark is 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA.

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