SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The San Francisco Giants don't normally operate like this.
Barry Bonds took care of the little stuff while A.J. Pierzynski hit the big home run Saturday night to give the Giants a 7-2 win over the Montreal Expos in 11 innings.
Bonds, who had thrown out a runner at home earlier in the game, drove in the go-ahead run in the 11th, hitting a simple fielder's choice to second for a 3-2 lead.
Two batters later, Pierzynski went deep, driving the ball through the muggy San Juan night for the five-run lead, and maybe a turning point in his difficult season.
"I've been trying to hit better pitches, and find pitches I can hit," Pierzynski said. "They finally made a mistake."
Pierzynski finished with six RBI, one short of his career high, and hit his third career grand slam. It was only his second homer of the season, however. His lack of production, plus a newspaper story earlier this month quoting three unnamed pitchers as calling him a "cancer" in the clubhouse, have made him very unpopular among Giants fans.
Asked whether he felt less pressure batting with the lead in the 11th, instead of the game tied, Pierzynski said, "I've hit into so many double plays this year, and the worst I could do was hit into one more. The people are going to boo me anyway."
Maybe not now.
Despite Pierzynski's big night, it was Bonds the people came to see.
He was at bat in the 11th with nobody out and no place for Expos pitcher Jeremy Fikac (0-1) to put him.
It could have been a moment to remember for baseball fans in Puerto Rico, who were getting what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the slugger. Instead, Bonds hit a hard grounder to second baseman Jose Vidro, who was playing at double-play depth, but tried to get the out at home. Michael Tucker beat the throw and the Giants took the lead.
Two batters before Bonds, Edgardo Alfonzo laid down a bunt just in front of home plate with a runner on first. Catcher Brian Schneider fielded it and tried for the out at second, but failed to get it.
It was a play that screamed of a struggling team that might be pressing too hard. The Expos have lost four straight after putting together a season-high, four-game winning streak.
"They're out there in the field and they make decisions," Expos manager Frank Robinson said. "The rule is to get the out." Robinson did say, however, that Vidro made the right choice going to home on Bonds' at-bat.
Tyler Walker (3-0) pitched the 10th and 11th innings to get the win.
The Expos had a great chance to win in the 10th. With runners on first and third, Giants manager Felipe Alou elected to walk Terrmel Sledge to load the bases and pitch to Juan Rivera. Rivera responded by grounding hard to third for a 5-3 double play.
"You're supposed to elevate the ball," Robinson said. "The worst way to hit the ball is to third."
Bonds played for the second straight night despite his sore back. His biggest highlight came not at the plate, but in left field, where he threw out Orlando Cabrera, who ran through third base coach Manny Acta's stop sign and was out easily at home with the Expos trailing 2-1 in the fourth.
Bonds finished 0-for-3 and two walks, the first intentional and the second which led to a run on Pierzynski's two-run double in the fourth. Bulbs flashed and the crowd went crazy every time Bonds swung. He made decent contact with the game tied at 2 in the ninth, but it resulted in a routine fly to left and set things up for San Francisco's big 11th inning.
Starting pitchers Claudio Vargas and Jerome Williams were both effective, each throwing seven innings and allowing only two runs.
Notes
Montreal's Carl Everett made a diving catch in left to end the seventh inning, a nice play for the outfielder, who returned from a shoulder injury this week. ... Vidro started climbing out of his slump, going 2-for-4 to improve to four for his last 35. ... The Expos swept all seven games from the Giants last season, but are 0-2 in the series this year.
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