The San Francisco Giants are on their longest winning streak in six years 10 consecutive victories that have resurrected the team from the depths of the NL West standings.
''Ten straight, I'll take it,'' manager Felipe Alou said. ''You don't see that happen very often nowadays. Before this run, we were in a very deep hole. It took this winning streak to bring us back to life.''
Not coincidentally, Barry Bonds is healthy and hitting home runs again. His solo blast Monday night in an 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks was his fourth in six games.
Bonds, who played collegiately at Arizona State, seems to love that dry desert air. His 16 home runs at Bank One Ballpark are the are the most of any visiting player.
''It's Arizona, dude,'' he said. ''It's Arizona. You hit the ball in the air, and it goes.''
Bonds is 8-for-16 in the last six games, after a 2-for-26 slump and a sore back that sidelined him for five games.
''I feel a lot better right now,'' he said. ''I'm not 100 percent, but it's good.''
But Bonds complained about all the fly balls he had to run down in left field.
''If I keep running in the outfield, it's going to get worse,'' he said.
Everybody is in a good mood in the Giants' clubhouse now that the team has pulled within 1½ games of Los Angeles and San Diego in the NL West.
''If you get hot, you just keep riding it as long as you can,'' said Michael Tucker, who had four hits, including a home run.
But Bonds didn't want to talk about the winning streak, for fear he might jinx it.
''Shhhhh,'' he said. ''That's the best way to put it.''
Arizona has been a big help in the Giants' climb into contention. Four of San Francisco's victories in its streak have come against the sputtering Diamondbacks.
Arizona has lost 10 of 12 to complete its worst May in the team's seven-year history at 9-20.
Manager Bob Brenly called a team meeting before the game.
''It was not really that big of a deal,'' Brenly said. ''I was just laying awake last night and some things came into my mind. I thought I should share them with the ball club.''
Steve Finley called it ''a great meeting, very positive.''
But the results were depressingly familiar for Arizona.
Bonds, who took the day off Sunday, hit his 672nd career home run 14th this season leading off the second inning.
He fouled off two pitches from Casey Daigle, then with a 1-2 count, lofted one into the right-field seats to put San Francisco up 1-0. It was Bonds' second home run off Daigle in four at-bats over the past week.
''The slider didn't quite get in there enough,'' Daigle said. ''And with that guy, if you make any sort of mistake, he hurts you.''
Bonds went 1-for-2 with three walks two intentional. He has 36 intentional walks this season.
Kirk Rueter (2-4) earned his first victory in four starts, allowing two runs on seven hits in five-plus innings.
Daigle (2-3) allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in 4 2-3 innings.
The Giants made it 2-0 when Tucker homered to right-center on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the third.
First baseman Shea Hillenbrand's fielding error led to two runs in the fourth.
Marquis Grissom led off with a double, then Bonds was walked intentionally. Pedro Feliz hit what looked to be a double-play grounder, but Hillenbrand was slow to react and never got to the ball, allowing Grissom to score. Hillenbrand, who wasn't around after the game, seemed to be watching Bonds instead of the batter.
''I didn't see it. I was gone,'' Bonds said. ''The ball was hit, I run.''
He scoffed at the idea that it was a hit-and-run play, though.
''Hit and run, with me? Are you nuts,'' he said. ''If they hit the ball, you run, right?'' Notes: The Giants' road trip is their longest since 1989. ... Arizona star Randy Johnson's four children were part of a pregame ceremony celebrating his perfect game.
Associated Press.
''Ten straight, I'll take it,'' manager Felipe Alou said. ''You don't see that happen very often nowadays. Before this run, we were in a very deep hole. It took this winning streak to bring us back to life.''
Not coincidentally, Barry Bonds is healthy and hitting home runs again. His solo blast Monday night in an 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks was his fourth in six games.
Bonds, who played collegiately at Arizona State, seems to love that dry desert air. His 16 home runs at Bank One Ballpark are the are the most of any visiting player.
''It's Arizona, dude,'' he said. ''It's Arizona. You hit the ball in the air, and it goes.''
Bonds is 8-for-16 in the last six games, after a 2-for-26 slump and a sore back that sidelined him for five games.
''I feel a lot better right now,'' he said. ''I'm not 100 percent, but it's good.''
But Bonds complained about all the fly balls he had to run down in left field.
''If I keep running in the outfield, it's going to get worse,'' he said.
Everybody is in a good mood in the Giants' clubhouse now that the team has pulled within 1½ games of Los Angeles and San Diego in the NL West.
''If you get hot, you just keep riding it as long as you can,'' said Michael Tucker, who had four hits, including a home run.
But Bonds didn't want to talk about the winning streak, for fear he might jinx it.
''Shhhhh,'' he said. ''That's the best way to put it.''
Arizona has been a big help in the Giants' climb into contention. Four of San Francisco's victories in its streak have come against the sputtering Diamondbacks.
Arizona has lost 10 of 12 to complete its worst May in the team's seven-year history at 9-20.
Manager Bob Brenly called a team meeting before the game.
''It was not really that big of a deal,'' Brenly said. ''I was just laying awake last night and some things came into my mind. I thought I should share them with the ball club.''
Steve Finley called it ''a great meeting, very positive.''
But the results were depressingly familiar for Arizona.
Bonds, who took the day off Sunday, hit his 672nd career home run 14th this season leading off the second inning.
He fouled off two pitches from Casey Daigle, then with a 1-2 count, lofted one into the right-field seats to put San Francisco up 1-0. It was Bonds' second home run off Daigle in four at-bats over the past week.
''The slider didn't quite get in there enough,'' Daigle said. ''And with that guy, if you make any sort of mistake, he hurts you.''
Bonds went 1-for-2 with three walks two intentional. He has 36 intentional walks this season.
Kirk Rueter (2-4) earned his first victory in four starts, allowing two runs on seven hits in five-plus innings.
Daigle (2-3) allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in 4 2-3 innings.
The Giants made it 2-0 when Tucker homered to right-center on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the third.
First baseman Shea Hillenbrand's fielding error led to two runs in the fourth.
Marquis Grissom led off with a double, then Bonds was walked intentionally. Pedro Feliz hit what looked to be a double-play grounder, but Hillenbrand was slow to react and never got to the ball, allowing Grissom to score. Hillenbrand, who wasn't around after the game, seemed to be watching Bonds instead of the batter.
''I didn't see it. I was gone,'' Bonds said. ''The ball was hit, I run.''
He scoffed at the idea that it was a hit-and-run play, though.
''Hit and run, with me? Are you nuts,'' he said. ''If they hit the ball, you run, right?'' Notes: The Giants' road trip is their longest since 1989. ... Arizona star Randy Johnson's four children were part of a pregame ceremony celebrating his perfect game.
Associated Press.
