Bonds hits No. 713 Sunday
PHILADELPHIA — A long talk with his mom put Barry Bonds' mind at ease. His swing is starting to look good, too, and now he's headed home ready to make history.
Bonds closed in on the Babe with a Ruthian clout Sunday night, hitting his 713th homer to move within one of tying Babe Ruth for second place on baseball's career list.
"It's overwhelming," Bonds said. "It's a little bit larger than a single-season home run record. It's big. It's really, really big."
The San Francisco slugger hit a mammoth shot in the sixth inning against Jon Lieber, rocketing a 2-1 sinker off a fast-food ad on the upper-deck facade in right field during the Giants' 9-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
"They tell me that's the way the Babe used to hit them," Giants manager Felipe Alou said.
Bonds' fifth homer of the season was estimated at 450 feet, one of the longest ever at Philadelphia's hitter-friendly park. He needs 42 to tie Hank Aaron for the major league record.
As Bonds took his slow trot around the bases, some of the Phillies fans — who had been needling him with boos and derisive chants throughout the series — stood up, cheered and clicked photos.
"He about tore that golden arches sign down," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I'm glad he's leaving town. He's starting to get hot now."
Bonds struck out swinging his next time up against reliever Aaron Fultz in the eighth, sending many fans toward the exits. Bonds came out of the game before the bottom half.
His solo homer cut the Phillies' lead to 5-3, but they soon broke it open and pushed their winning streak to eight games for the first time in 15 years. The last time Philadelphia won eight in a row was a 13-game run in 1991.
The Giants were headed back to San Francisco to begin a seven-game homestand, though the 41-year-old Bonds was not expected to play Monday night against Houston after the cross-country trip.
"We'll have to see how I feel," Bonds said. "It's a long flight."
He had been held in check since arriving here on Friday. Bonds went 3-for-9 in Philadelphia's three-game sweep with a pair of singles, and had gone 11 at-bats since his previous home run Tuesday against San Diego.
Carlos Oliveras caught Bonds' home run ball, specially marked to ensure authenticity. The 25-year-old Oliveras, an Airman 1st Class who lives on McGuire Air Force Base in Fort Dix, N.J., paid $20 for his seat in Section 202, Row 7.
He said he is a Bonds fan and would probably keep the ball.
"I never thought I was going to be lucky like that," Oliveras said.
After his news conference, Bonds shook Oliveras' hand and took a picture with him.
With his mother cheering from behind San Francisco's dugout, Bonds pumped his fist as he finished circling the bases.
