• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Molina's two homers power Giants to win

May 8, 2007 - 6:50 AM SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- It was Bengie Molina, not Barry Bonds who did in New York Mets' starter Oliver Perez.

Molina hit two home runs and drove in five runs during a nine-run fifth inning as the San Francisco Giants cruised Monday night to a 9-4 blowout over the Mets.

Bonds, who has six homers in his last 14 games and is closing in on Hank Aaron's all-time record, went 0-for-2 with two walks.

Molina is the first player to hit two homers in an inning since Julio Lugo did so on July 22, 2006 for Tampa Bay against Baltimore.

And while his first homer - a two-run shot - was questionable, his three-run blast left no doubt in the outcome of the game. Molina became the first Giant to hit two home runs in an inning since Hall-of-Famer Willie McCovey accomplished the feat June 27, 1977 at Cincinnati.

"I don't know what to say, man. I've never done this," Molina said. "I'm not thinking anything right now, I'm so excited. ... It's awesome. Not bad company at all."

The Mets made two crucial errors that opened the door for the huge inning, which was sparked by a two-out hit from Giants starter Barry Zito.

"Fifth inning giveaway tonight," Randolph said. "We didn't get any help from the umps, but you've still got to be able to get out of an inning like that. We can't catch the ball, Zito gets his first hit and everything just kind of blew up from there. When you give up a nine spot like that, it's tough to come back."

Perez walked Ray Durham to start the decisive inning. Molina then hit a first-pitch fastball deep to left-center that hit off the top of the wall and fell back onto the field for a 2-1 lead. The umpires ruled that the ball had crossed over and hit a fan. However, TV replays showed the ball bounced off the top of the wall and fell back into play.

New York manager Willie Randolph argued to no avail. It was the second time in three days the Mets have been on the wrong side of a controversial home run. On Friday, Arizona's Orlando Hudson hit a ball that hit off a fan's popcorn. That did not hurt them as they held on for a 5-3 win.

"Without the fan touching it (Mark) Wegner's got the ball off for a home run," crew chief Bruce Froemming said. "We discussed it, (Wegner) told us what he saw, it was the end of the deal. Willie contended that maybe a fan reached over and touched the ball in the stadium and everything."

Moises Alou, playing in his first game at AT&T since leaving the Giants as a free agent last season had a good look of Molina's first home run.

"I had the best view, I was right there," Alou said. "The ball never hit the fan. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt because they said there's a rule if it hits the bar at the top it's a home run. I couldn't see if it hit that. I don't know how they could see it that far away. I didn't think it was a home run."

After the blown call it all feel apart for Perez (3-3), who retired the first nine hitters he faced.

Oddly enough it was a seemingly innocent two-out single Zito that started the fifth-inning outburst - his second hit in 44 career at-bats.

Perez was then let down by his defense, as Randy Winn reached on an error by second baseman Damion Easley and Omar Vizquel hit a line drive that hit off the webbing of right fielder Shawn Green's glove. Rich Aurilia then hit a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run homer and a 5-1 lead.

Perez, who allowed eight runs - two earned - and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, then walked Bonds and allowed a single to Durham before getting relieved by rookie Lino Urdaneta.

Zito, who struggled in his first two starts of the season, is starting to look like the pitcher the Giants paid $126 million for in the offseason.

Zito (3-3), gave up 10 runs in his first 11 innings to start the season, but had a 1.65 ERA in his last four starts prior to facing the Mets. The lefthander allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings with five strikeouts.

"I thought he threw well," Bochy said. "He just got up there a little bit with pitches. Runners on base caught up with him too. He hasn't done that all year. He had good stuff, pitched well."

"He threw well. He mixed it up quite a bit," Green said. "His curveball was tough." David Wright had two hits for the Mets, who have lost two straight after winning four in a row.

Jose Reyes gave the Mets a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the top of the inning, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.