Lowry, Bonds trigger win over Reds
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, August 4, 2004
SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds homered twice and rookie Noah Lowry carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning on the way to his first major league victory in the San Francisco Giants' 11-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Bonds matched a season high with five RBIs, raising his home-run total to 29 this season and 687 in his career. J.T. Snow matched a career high with four hits. He had a homer, single and two doubles for the Giants, who had lost four of five.
Bonds hit a three-run homer in the third inning, sending the first pitch he saw from Cory Lidle (6-10) into the right-field arcade. Bonds connected again in the seventh in a span of three consecutive homers by San Francisco. Snow homered leading off the inning, then Bonds splashed a 2-2 pitch into the waters of McCovey Cove. Pedro Feliz followed with his 15th homer, chasing Lidle.
Lidle became the 406th pitcher to give up a homer to Bonds, who's third on baseball's home-run list behind Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).
Bonds, who was intentionally walked in the fifth, has 66 multihomer games, including two this season. It was the first time the Giants hit three straight homers since Snow, Reggie Sanders and David Bell did it on Aug. 4, 2002, at Pittsburgh.
Lowry (1-0), a 23-year-old lefty making his fourth major league start, didn't allow a hit until D'Angelo Jimenez's leadoff single to left in the seventh. He pitched a three-hitter, struck out nine, walked two and also had two singles at the plate.
Not bad for a pitcher who was only told he was starting Tuesday morning. Lowry was recalled to start in place of Dustin Hermanson, whom the Giants moved to the bullpen and will try at closer.
Reds leadoff hitter Ryan Freel tried to bunt for a hit in the sixth inning and was booed for it. He wound up striking out when he bunted foul down the third-base line three straight times, and Lowry calmly walked off the field and back into the dugout.
Lowry walked Jimenez with one out in the first, then retired 11 straight before Wily Mo Pena drew a walk in the fifth. After that, he got five straight outs before Jimenez's hit. The crowd of 41,228 gave Lowry a brief standing ovation.
The Reds, who activated Ken Griffey Jr, before the game, lost for the 11th time in 12 games.