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Bonds ejected in Giants loss to Colorado
By Jeremy Kahn August 4, 2006 |
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SAN FRANCISCO- With Moises Alou in the on-deck circle, as the possible tying run, Barry Bonds did something absolutely unbeknownst to the San Francisco Giants and to the 38,033 fans on hand at AT&T Park. After a controversial strike two call in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Omar Vizquel on third base, Bonds got into a disagreement with home plate umpire Ron Kulpa that ultimately led to Bonds’ first ejection this season. "Barry didn't like strike two. He thought it was down and I told him it was not down," said Kulpa. "It was a good pitch and I'd been calling that pitch all night. We talked about the pitch, Barry and I. It was getting heated. I warned him, and then he crossed the line and said something he shouldn't have said. After I warned him twice, and that point he was ejected.” “I gave Barry a lot of rope in that situation. It was a big part of the ballgame. I gave him every opportunity to stay in the ballgame, and he crossed the line. When you cross the line, I have a job to do." When the fans got wind that Bonds was tossed from the game, they did not like it at all, as threw garbage onto the field that led to both teams leaving the field. The grounds crew came on the field, and cleaned everything up of the ground. "I don't care about that," said Bonds. "We're trying to win games, that's all. It happened, it happened. It's over with. Let's go get ready for tomorrow." Todd Greene, batting for Bonds flew out for the second out and Alou also flew out and the Colorado Rockies took game one of this three-game series with a 5-2 victory. "There were two unprofessional people out there at that moment," said Bonds. "He was very unprofessional and so was I. What happens on the field stays on the field and that's all I have to say about it." Just two innings prior to the ejection, Bonds launched his 15th home run of the season over the center field wall. With the home run, Bonds moved within 32 home runs of tying Hank Aaron for first place on the all-time list. Jeff Francis became the 429th different pitcher to surrender a home run to Bonds, extending his own major league record. Francis went eight innings, allowing only two runs on six hits before giving way to Brian Fuentes, who gave up a double to Vizquel and retiring the next three batters, including the ejection of Bonds for his 21st save of the season. Former Giants catcher Yorvit Torrealba made his first appearance at AT&T Park since being traded for Randy Winn last summer, and hit what proved to be a game-winning home run, as he launched a three-run home run deep into the left field bleachers off of Matt Morris to give the Rockies an insurmountable 5-1 lead. Despite giving up the home run to Torrealba, Morris pitched a great game. In six innings of work, he gave up all five runs, six hits, while walking just two and striking out five. Pedro Feliz put the Giants on the board first, as he hit 17th home run of the season off of Francis in the bottom of the third inning. The bullpen did a masterful job, as Vinny Chulk struck out four of the six batters he got out, and former Rockies pitcher Jamey Wright struck out two in his only inning of work. NOTES: The Giants look to even up the series, as they will Noah Lowry to the hill, while the Rockies look to take the first two games, as they Jason Jennings to the mound. Ray Durham left the game in the top of the fourth inning, after coming down with a migraine headache. |
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