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Bonds sits as Padres complete sweep of Giants

Aug 6, 2007 - 12:59 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - While Barry Bonds enjoyed his day off, Marcus Giles took advantage of some rare playing time.

Giles drove in two runs, including the go-ahead score, as the San Diego Padres completed a sweep of the San Francisco Giants with a 5-4 triumph on Sunday.

"It's a step in the right direction, that's for sure," Giles said. "I've been working hard and taking probably too many (practice) swings to be honest with you. I've just been working hard and trying to get that feel back that I had for the first couple months of the season."

One day after Bonds tied Hank Aaron's all-time mark with his 755th career homer, the 43-year-old slugger skipped the contest, deciding instead to celebrate the achievement with his family. Bonds, however, was seen stirring in the dugout in the ninth inning after Molina's blast.

Bonds will continue his pursuit of sole possession of the record when the Giants return to San Francisco on Monday night to open a six-game homestand against Washington and Pittsburgh.

Giles, on the other hand, pushed his way into the lineup when utility man Geoff Blum was forced to start in left field due to injuries to regular Milton Bradley and reserve Scott Hairston.

Dropped to the eighth spot in the lineup after leading off for the first half of the season, Giles opened the San Diego scoring against San Francisco starter Noah Lowry with a single in the second, and gave the Padres the lead in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to center that plated Michael Barrett.

The younger of the two Giles brothers on the Padres' roster began the year as the starter at second after signing as a free agent in the offseason, but had made just one start in the last week after hitting .143 in July as his average dipped to .230 entering the contest.

"It's no secret that the last couple of months have been a big-time struggle," Giles said. "My mechanics in my swing went out the door. The main thing is putting that behind you and going in the right direction."

Doug Brocail (4-1) entered the game in the sixth when starter Justin Germano had to leave the game after being struck in the hand by a batted ball, and pitched one-third of an inning to pick up the victory.

Germano injured his right thumb on the play, but the 25-year-old righthander is not expected to miss any time.

"It sort of popped the thumbnail up from the skin," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It just sort of dislodged the nail a little bit. (He is) probable for Friday."

Justin Hampson and Heath Bell worked scoreless frames in front of Trevor Hoffman, who survived a two-run pinch homer by Bengie Molina before recording his 29th save in 31 chances, and 511th of his career.

Lowry also was forced to leave the game prematurely, as the lefthander experienced tightness in his forearm after allowing one run over three innings.

"We weren't going to take any chances, that's why we took him out of the game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "The initial read is that he'll probably miss a start. We'll know more (on Monday)."

Vinnie Chulk (1-1) suffered the loss in relief, working two innings and surrendering a pair of runs.

"We really did a good job of holding them down, but we made a couple of mistakes in that (sixth) inning," Bochy said. "I liked the way we kept fighting there in the ninth. It's frustrating, because we were a hit away. We just had problems getting a timely hit in the whole series."

Mike Cameron doubled in a run in the eighth for San Diego, which swept a series at home for the third time this year and first since June 5-7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Barry Zito pitched a scoreless seventh, his first career appearance in relief for San Francisco, which has lost four of five.

"I talked to him before the game," Bochy said. "He seemed excited about it. He said, 'Whatever you need.' He gave us an inning there and helped out the 'pen. These guys have been taxed a lot."

In another anomalous occurrence, Greg Maddux made a pinch-running appearance in the sixth for the Padres, his first such contribution since June 4, 1998 and ninth of his career.