Bonds Hits 1st Home Run of the Spring

Friday March 09, 2007 7:18pm from our sister station WJLA-TV

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - A bout with the flu hasn't affected Barry Bonds' swing. Bonds hit his first home run of spring training, connecting in the fourth inning against Esteban Loaiza on Friday in the San Francisco Giants' 5-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics. "He's so good. It doesn't take him long to find his stroke," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's a pretty simple stroke. He just needs a few at-bats. That's how good he is. ... I've seen it enough on the other side, it's good to have it on my side."

Bonds was sidelined last weekend by a flu bug that ravaged the Giants. But since returning to the lineup Tuesday, he is 4-for-7 with a homer and two doubles. He said he is mostly over the flu and that his oft-injured knees are feeling pretty good.

He's expected to be in the lineup as the designated hitter in San Francisco's two home games this weekend against Texas and Seattle. Bonds is hoping to get off to a faster start this season as he closes in on Hank Aaron's record of 755 career home runs. Bonds needs 22 homers to break the mark.

After flying out to deep center field in the first inning against Rich Harden, Bonds came to bat in the fourth against Loaiza. After showing bunt on the first pitch and taking the second, Bonds drove the next pitch over the right-field fence and onto an adjacent field.

"I hit it pretty good," Bonds said. "But it's spring training. I don't take spring training seriously besides getting in shape."

Loaiza said he just left a pitch right over the middle to Bonds. Loaiza gave up a two-run homer later in the fourth to Lance Niekro before being lifted in the middle of the inning for David Shafer because of tightness in his right shoulder.

A's manager Bob Geren said he made the move as a precaution and didn't know yet if Loaiza would need any extra time off before his next scheduled appearance in a minor league game next Wednesday.

"I didn't feel too good," Loaiza said. "I was never able to get loose. I just came out to make sure I stay healthy."

Russ Ortiz made his first start of the spring for San Francisco and pitched three scoreless innings. He allowed four hits but was helped out by two double plays and is making a strong bid to be the team's No. 5 starter.

Ortiz, who has allowed just two runs in 8 1-3 innings so far this spring, is trying to bounce back after going 5-19 the past two seasons in Arizona and Baltimore.

"If he's throwing like that, it's hard not to have him in the rotation," Bochy said.

Even though the game was played in a National League park, the A's requested that the designated hitter be used so Mike Piazza could play. Bochy, Piazza's skipper in San Diego last season, complied with the request but did not use the opportunity to give Bonds' knees some rest. Bonds started in left field and Frederick Lewis was the DH.

Piazza missed the previous two games with a sore left elbow after getting hit by a pitch Tuesday. He went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the fourth and a run-scoring single in the fifth.

"I'm seeing the ball well and for me that's half the battle," Piazza said. "I felt sluggish early on but later in the game I got some good pitches and hit the ball hard. That's how I'd like to take it into the season."

Harden retired his first six batters before pitching out of trouble in the third. He gave up consecutive singles to Niekro and Justin Knoedler to open the inning before responding by striking out Lewis and Dave Roberts.

Omar Vizquel then hit a one-hopper that deflected off shortstop Antonio Perez's glove for an infield single. Niekro tried to score from second on the play but was thrown out easily by Perez with Bonds on deck.

"That would have been fun," Harden said. "Of course I'm not going to show him my best stuff. But he's another batter I could work on my pitches against."

Harden allowed three hits and struck out four in three scoreless innings.

Notes:@ This was the first of three meetings in Arizona between the Bay Area rivals. They will also play three times back home the weekend before the season starts. ... Shafer pitched 1 1-3 innings to earn the win. ... Billy Sadler allowed two runs in the fifth and took the loss.



Written By JOSH DUBOW