Bonds, in Top Form, Too Much For Cubs

SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds broke out of a one-for-16 slump with a two-run homer and a double as the San Francisco Giants had their biggest scoring game of the season Sunday in beating the Chicago Cubs, 11-5.

“The bat looked quicker, he was running faster in the outfield and on the bases,” San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker said. “He was Barry Bonds today.”

Bonds hit his fifth home run in the first inning and doubled in the third. He raised his average from .237 to .248 with two hits.

“As well as this team has been playing, you don’t want to let them down,” said Bonds, who shaved his head 10 days ago. “I felt like I was doing that.”

Bonds, who missed his first game of the season Saturday because of the flu, hit his first double of the season.

“I felt a lot better today. I didn’t feel achy,” Bonds said. “I hadn’t felt right since Tuesday.”

J.T. Snow added his first National League homer for the Giants, who moved into first place in the NL West. Snow reached base in all five of his plate appearances, including three walks, a single and the two-run homer.

Sammy Sosa hit a three-run homer and had three hits with a walk for the Cubs.

Mark Gardner (4-1) settled down after giving up four runs in the first, including the homer by Sosa. Gardner, who has won his last four decisions, gave up four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Doug Henry, the Giants’ fifth pitcher, pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for his first save of the season. The Cubs used seven pitchers.

Kevin Foster (3-3) lasted two-plus innings for the Cubs. He got all six of his outs on strikeouts, but gave up five runs, four hits, three walks and hit the last batter he faced.

“He just really didn’t have it today,” Chicago Manager Jim Riggleman said. “I just felt like I was delaying the inevitable if I didn’t get him out of there when I did.”

The Cubs opened the game with four consecutive hits, including a run-scoring single by Mark Grace and Sosa’s fifth homer. The Giants responded with two runs in their half of the inning on Bonds’ homer, but left the bases loaded.

San Francisco sent 10 men to the plate in the third. Rick Wilkins and Darryl Hamilton had run-scoring singles, Snow walked with the bases loaded and Jose Vizcaino had a sacrifice fly.

Ryne Sandberg had a pinch-hit RBI single for the Cubs in the seventh, but the Giants got two runs in the bottom of the inning on Jeff Kent’s RBI double and a run-scoring groundout by Jose Vizcaino. Snow homered in the eighth.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NEXT SERIES FOR DODGERS

WHO: Chicago Cubs

WHERE: Chicago

WHEN: Tuesday: 5 p.m., Wednesday: 11:15 a.m.