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Adam and Matt's Sports
BASEBALL
-Bonds Passes Mays For With 661 st Homer
A day after catching his godfather, Barry Bonds moved ahead of Willie Mays with another majestic homer.
This one had the same destination -- San Francisco Bay, of course -- and strangely enough, it was retrieved by the same kayaking fan.
And though No. 661 didn't spark the same kind of celebration, Tuesday night's shot was even more important. That's because only Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron are on deck now.
Bonds took sole possession of third place on the career home runs list in the San Francisco Giants' 4-2 victory over Milwaukee.
In the seventh inning, Bonds hit a 1-2 pitch from right-hander Ben Ford over the right-field arcade and into McCovey Cove.
Bonds savored the moment with his teammates and his family, but said his 660th homer had more sentimental value, because it ``binded us all together'' -- Bonds, Mays and Bobby Bonds, the slugger's late father.
``(Mays) will always be my mentor,'' Bonds said. ``He will always be the one I look up to. He will always be the best baseball player of all time. That isn't ever going to change.
``It's all about keeping it in the family. I have his blessing. (Monday) was a relief, and now I've got to just go out there and swing the bat and go after the next thing.''
That would be Ruth and Aaron. If Bonds maintains his unbelievable pace of the past four seasons, he could pass Ruth's 714 homers early next season.
``I don't probably know anything about Babe Ruth,'' Bonds said playfully before reciting a list of Ruth's accomplishments. ``I know how he changed the game and the contributions he made to his era. ... But right now, I'm just working on 662.''
Bonds has said he can't imagine passing Aaron, who hit 755 homers. But to everyone else, there seems to be nothing Bonds can't do.
``I've never seen a better player in my life,'' said former Giants third baseman Matt Williams, who threw out the first pitch at Tuesday night's game. ``I don't think anybody changes the course of a game like he does.''
Bonds, who will turn 40 in July, hit 213 homers in the previous four seasons, including a major league-record 73 in 2001.
He hit his 659th on opening day in Houston -- but as he usually does, Bonds waited until returning home to San Francisco to hit his most historic homers.
Bonds didn't really celebrate his 661st, calmly dropping his bat and circling the bases as the sellout crowd stood and roared. After touching home plate on the solo shot, he pointed into the stands at his family.
``He looked like he wanted to cry when he was coming in,'' manager Felipe Alou said. ``The emotions were different tonight for that man. He's in some way thinking about his dad when something like that happens.''
But Bonds said he only thought about the Giants' two-run lead as he rounded the bases. He took a short curtain call, and he got yet another standing ovation when he took the field for the eighth inning.
``I was trying to keep it down, put it in the dirt. It didn't get down,'' Ford said. ``I left it over the plate too much. It was a mistake, and he capitalizes on mistakes. He doesn't miss too often.''
It was Bonds' 29th career homer into McCovey Cove -- where the ball was retrieved by Larry Ellison, the same kayaker who got Bonds' 660th and later gave it back to the slugger. Ellison said he plans to keep this one -- and Bonds doesn't mind at all.
``Six-sixty was the one,'' Bonds said. ``That's the one I'll keep on my desk forever.''
Bonds will get the day off Wednesday, though manager Felipe Alou wasn't planning to decide until talking with the left fielder.
Marquis Grissom hit two homers for the Giants in their third straight victory. Dustin Hermanson (1-0) held the Brewers to three hits and one run while pitching into the sixth inning.
The San Francisco bullpen quelled an eighth-inning rally by the Brewers, who lost their third straight to drop below .500 for the first time this season. Matt Herges pitched the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
Grissom had his eighth career two-homer game, starting with a two-run shot in the first inning that easily cleared the left-field wall. He added a solo homer in the third off Chris Capuano (1-1), who yielded seven hits and three runs over five innings.
``I just didn't want Marquis to have more homers than me at this point in the year,'' Bonds said with a grin.
Former Milwaukee outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds got his first start of the season for the Giants -- against Capuano, the pitcher who broke Hammonds' thumb during a spring training game March 9. Capuano walked Hammonds in his first two at-bats, and Hammonds singled in the fifth.
Hermanson started well, retiring nine straight hitters after Scott Podsednik opened the game with a single. Though Hermanson has struggled to hold a major league job in recent months, he appears to have a solid spot in San Francisco's rotation.
He also has a 1.75 ERA in his last eight appearances against Milwaukee.
NOTES
For the first time this season, San Francisco scored first. ... Milwaukee's Geoff Jenkins went 0-for-4 and stranded five runners, flying out to right with two on in the eighth. ... San Francisco 2B Ray Durham left in the second inning with mildly strained left quadriceps. He was hurt while lungingback to first base on a pickoff attempt.
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BASKETBALL
-Kobe helps Lakers tie for Pacific lead
Kobe Bryant let his play do the talking, and it spoke volumes.
Bryant bounced back from one of the least productive games of his career to score a season-high 45 points Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied for a 109-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors, keeping their hopes alive for a Pacific Division title.
Bryant was angered by those who questioned his effort two days earlier in a 102-85 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Several local columnists wrote that the NBA's fourth-leading scorer was sending a message to his coach and teammates by not playing his normal game.
``Kobe was bound and determined to show you guys. ... So there!'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said with a chuckle.
The victory was just the second in five games following an 11-game winning streak for the Lakers (55-26) and lifted them into a tie for the division lead with Sacramento.
Since the Kings hold the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series 3-1, the Lakers can win the division title only if they win at Portland and the Kings lose at Golden State in the regular-season finales Wednesday night.
The loss was just the fifth in 16 games for the Warriors (36-45), who haven't qualified for the playoffs since 1994.
Bryant shot 14-of-29 and made 17 of 18 free throws in surpassing his previous season-high by one. He scored seven points in the last 20 seconds, and also had seven rebounds and eight assists.
``He came out aggressive and shot the ball. He was Kobe,'' teammate Shaquille O'Neal said.
O'Neal had 23 points and 13 rebounds and Slava Medvedenko and Karl Malone added 10 points each for the Lakers, who trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, didn't lead until the fourth period and barely won despite shooting 53.2 percent.
Clifford Robinson led Golden State with 22 points. Rookie Mickael Pietrus had 20 points to equal his career high along with a career-high four steals. Brian Cardinal also scored 20 for the Warriors, who shot 49.4 percent.
Bryant was criticized by Jackson and several teammates after recent losses to San Antonio and Portland, when he shot a combined 14-of-49.
Bryant tried only one shot in the first half Sunday in Sacramento. He finished 3-of-13 for eight points -- his lowest point total in a game in which he played at least 40 minutes.
Speaking on the Lakers' pre-game radio show Tuesday, Bryant angrily denied he hadn't done his best, saying the Kings sent two or three players at him as soon as he touched the ball.
``I'll take full responsibility for us losing the game,'' he said. ``Sabotaging the game? That's ridiculous. I don't go out there and toss games. Are you kidding me? There is no way I would disrespect the game like that.''
He said much the same thing in a brief post-game television interview, but didn't speak with reporters at his locker, which he almost always does.
The Los Angeles Times quoted an unidentified Laker as saying: ``I don't know how we can forgive him.''
Bryant said he spoke to his teammates at Tuesday's shootaround.
``Every single one of them said they didn't say it. They all said no,'' he said.
Gary Payton also refused comment afterward, and Malone, who usually talks with reporters as long as they wish after games, spoke only briefly before leaving the locker room.
Derek Fisher's 3-pointer with 4:55 left -- his only points of the game -- gave the Lakers a 94-92 lead, and they were on top the rest of the way.
Two baskets by O'Neal made it 100-95 with 2:10 remaining. Pietrus made a follow shot, but Robinson missed a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left that could have tied the game.
The Warriors weren't closer than three points after that.
Golden State scored the first six points of the third quarter for a 65-49 lead. It was 78-73 entering the final period.
``We played hard, came close,'' said Golden State's Mike Dunleavy, who had 13 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. ``We're playing well against playoff teams. We're playing well against everybody in the league. Unfortunately, ourseason is going to end tomorrow.''
Notes
The Lakers have an 18-2 record at home against the Warriors during the past 10 years. ... Warriors F Troy Murphy (bruised right lung) and G Avery Johnson (strained right hamstring) sat out the game and won't play Wednesday night against the Kings. ... Warriors G Speedy Claxton (sore right groin) sat out the second half. ... Jackson attended Monday night's Miss USA Pageant. ``I was strictly an escort. I went to support my girlfriend,'' he said, referring to Jeanie Buss, whose father, Lakers owner Jerry Buss, was a judge in the contest. Jeanie is the team's executive vice president of business operations. ... Lakers F Rick Fox, who dislocated his right thumb against Memphis last Friday, missed his second game. He hopes to be available when the playoffs begin.
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FOOTBALL
-Maddox: Still the Steelers' starter, but not yet paid like one
Amid speculation the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft a quarterback next week, their returning starter began his offseason workouts Monday. He doesn't have a new contract or any assurance he will get one.
Tommy Maddox knows what that means.
"I could be going into the season being the third highest-paid guy (quarterback) on the team," Maddox said.
That might be a first for an experienced NFL quarterback, though the situation isn't totally unfamiliar to Maddox. Not only did backup quarterback Charlie Batch earn more than he did last season, so did since-released punter Josh Miller.
Now, as Maddox readies for what would be his third season as a starter, there is little incentive for Pittsburgh to give him a large salary increase. Maddox realizes it, too.
Asked Monday where his contract situation stands, Maddox said, "Still."
If the Steelers draft a quarterback in the first round -- North Carolina State's Philip Rivers could be there when they choose 11th overall -- they almost certainly won't have any more money to give Maddox. That means Maddox would keep getting paid like the backup he was when he signed his contract in 2002, just before beating out Kordell Stewart to become a starter.
So, unless the Steelers unexpectedly decide to renegotiate his contract, Maddox will make less over the next three seasons -- $750,000 each in 2004 and 2005 and $1 million in 2006 -- than most NFL starting quarterbacks will earn just this season.
"We've talked to them a little bit, and we'll wait until after the draft and get everything in order and try to talk to them again, and see what happens," Maddox said. "The good thing is I've got a contract past this year, and my focus is more on the season than it is on that."
While Maddox doesn't want to be the NFL's lowest-paid veteran starting quarterback again, he also doesn't want to go through another season like 2003, when the Steelers went 6-10 and missed the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons.
That's why Maddox welcomes former Eagles running back Duce Staley, who is expected to improve what was the NFL's second-worst running game last season. He also was encouraged Monday that left tackle Marvel Smith and right guard Kendall Simmons are healthy again.
Smith missed most of last season with a neck injury, and Simmons struggled to maintain his weight and strength after being diagnosed with diabetes just before training camp started. The result was a season-long personnel shuffle along a patchwork line that didn't begin to stabilize until late in the season.
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