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Hill, Cubs blast Giants as Bonds sits again

Jul 18, 2007 - 10:52 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Barry Bonds had a good view of Koyie Hill's power display on Wednesday.

With Bonds absent from the starting lineup for a third straight game, Hill had a career-high five RBI as the Chicago Cubs defeated the San Francisco Giants, 12-1.

The Cubs' power display could be a source of motivation for Bonds, who is mired in one of the worst slumps of his career. He currently is in an 0-for-21 funk after lining out to left field as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of a 4-2 win Tuesday.

The seven-time National League MVP also went hitless in 21 straight at-bats in 2001 - the year he set the single-season home run record of 73.

The 42-year-old Bonds has not homered since July 3 and remains four shy of tying Hank Aaron's all-time mark of 755.

Hill, who matched his season total with two doubles Wednesday, had seven RBI this season entering the afternoon game at Wrigley Field.

"It's nice to have had an opportunity to play in the big leagues again," Hill said. "We have a pretty good thing going here and it's great to be a part of it."

Hill's two-run double highlighted a four-run fourth inning, and his bases-clearing double in the fifth capped a five-run frame.

The five RBI were the most by a Cubs catcher since Scott Servais in 1997 - and certainly more than enough for Chicago starter Carlos Zambrano (12-7).

The righthander allowed two hits and struck out three in five innings to pick up his sixth win in his last eight starts.

"I felt good today but I had to come out because of a headache and some dehydration," Zambrano said. "My stuff was pretty good and the guys scored a lot of runs for me."

In his last outing, Zambrano pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, yielding three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in a 6-0 victory on Friday over the Houston Astros.

Reliever Sean Gallagher pitched the final four innings and allowed four hits, including Kevin Frandsen's RBI single in the ninth.

"I had a good fastball and a good curveball," Gallagher said. "(Koyie) Hill and I decided to just keep pounding the strike zone with those two pitches. It worked out."

With the game scoreless in the fourth, Jacque Jones plated Cliff Floyd and Mark DeRosa with a two-run single off San Francisco starter Matt Cain (3-11).

"The pitch Floyd hit was a good one and so was the slider that DeRosa hit," Cain said. "My mistake was not getting (Mike) Fontenot in that situation when I had him down 0-2 in the count."

Cain's problems were just beginning, as Hill's first double gave the Cubs a 4-0 lead.

"I have always thought I was a good hitter," Hill said. "I am in the big leagues for my catching ability first."

In the fifth, Cain unraveled - walking two and issuing both a passed ball and a wild pitch before exiting the contest.

Reliever Patrick Misch entered, but after a passed ball plated Alfonso Soriano, Floyd's double to left scored Ryan Theriot to close the book on Cain.

The 22-year-old righthander allowed six runs, four hits and five walks in four innings.

Chicago added three runs in the eighth, highlighted by Angel Pagan's RBI double.

Before Wednesday's game, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee dropped the appeal of a five-game suspension handed down following his involvement in a benches-clearing incident against the San Diego Padres on June 16.

Lee will miss Thursday's game against the Giants, then sit out the Cubs' weekend series against Arizona.

"I was going to have to serve this at some point," Lee said. "When we looked ahead to Arizona, they didn't have many lefties. This way Daryle (Ward) can face some righthanders. We came to the conclusion that this is the best time to take it."

Lee, who is batting a team-leading .337 with eight homers and 48 RBI, will be eligible to return for Tuesday's game against St. Louis.