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(5/21/06 11:18 am)
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Bonds ties Ruth with homer No. 714
Barry Bonds takes a break from season-long slump and steroid controversy to enjoy his historic home run off Brad Halsey in Oakland yesterday.
No one from Babe Ruth's family or the commissioner's office was there yesterday to see Barry Bonds tie the Bambino, but the same fans who once cheered Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco still appreciate a big thing when they see it.
Bonds hit No. 714 against the A's in Oakland, tying Ruth for second on the all-time career home run list with a second-inning shot into stands in right-center. He received a long standing ovation from the same crowd that booed him when he came to the batter's box.
"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 after the Giants completed a 4-2 win in 10 innings. "This and a World Series ring to me would be the ultimate."
The game was delayed for about 90 seconds as his teammates embraced him, along with his 15-year-old son, Nikolai, a batboy for the Giants who greeted his father at home plate. Bonds tipped his cap and blew a kiss toward the stands and his 7-year-old daughter, Aisha, who had announced at-bats over the stadium public address system in San Francisco on the Giants' last home stand.
The ball was caught on the fly by 19-year-old Tyler Snyder of nearby Pleasanton, Calif., 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."
Lefthander Brad Halsey became the 420th pitcher to give up a homer to Bonds, who is San Francisco's DH in the interleague series. He connected on a 1-1 pitch from Halsey, making history with his sixth home run this season and ending an agonizing wait.
Bonds ended a nine-game homerless drought - a stretch of 29 at-bats - since hitting No. 713.
"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 overall and repeated taunts on the road, had hoped to catch Ruth at home in San Francisco, which is the only place he was sure not to be booed.
"I'm just glad it happened in the Bay," Bonds said. "East Bay, West Bay. I'm just glad it happened here."
Reaction throughout baseball was swift to greet Bonds.
"That's a great job and I think he deserves to be congratulated," Derek Jeter said from the Yankees' locker room at Shea Stadium. "He's one of the greatest baseball players of all time. I'm tired of hearing all the accusations and no one's proven anything."
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 yesterday.
With his next home run, Bonds' focus will turn to Hank Aaron's record of 755. The Giants' slugger said last week he thought he was being haunted by "two ghosts" - a reference to Ruth and Aaron.
His pursuit of the tying home run began to take on the feel of the absurd after he hit No. 713 in Philadelphia on May 7. After the Giants returned home and Bonds struggled against the Cubs, Giants manager Felipe Alou moved him to the third spot of the lineup for two games against the Dodgers, the first time Bonds had hit there since 2003.
Alou said he wanted the chase over with "as soon as possible," and several teammates agreed they would all be better off once Bonds got his hit.
"I like the fact that ball was hit, that ball was crushed," Alou said yesterday. Though the A's don't provide estimated distances on home runs, this one appeared to travel about 400 feet.
"He finally hit it? It's about time," Ken Griffey Jr. said in the Cincinnati Reds' clubhouse in Detroit. "Now I don't have to keep watching TV to see him do it."
Anyone who has followed the latter part of Bonds' controversial career knew it was unlikely he would hit a milestone home run on the road. In his record-setting 2001 season, Bonds hit Nos. 70, 71, 72 and 73 at home. Career home runs 500, 600, 660 (tying Willie Mays for third all-time), 661 and 700 were all hit at home.
But Bonds' best chance to catch Ruth in San Francisco came against the Cubs when Chicago center fielder Juan Pierre leaped to grab a ball that appeared to be headed over the wall. He finished the home stand on a 1-for-19 slump.
His desperation became obvious. Rather than rest during day games following night games, Bonds played the entire home stand last week, then played in two of three games against the Houston Astros.
Giants team officials decided they would save their big celebration for No. 715. Once he does hit that home run, the Giants will unfurl two massive banners that have been ready on the light towers in center field for more than three weeks. And the Giants will be relieved that they can stop waiting for history to happen for a while. Now they can spend idle time wondering whether Bonds will be indicted for perjury or tax evasion.
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