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Bonds takes second shot at becoming homer king vs. Nationals

Aug 7, 2007 - 2:49 PM Washington (51-61) at San Francisco (48-62) 10:15 pm EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- It took seven games for Barry Bonds to hit the necessary home run to tie Hank Aaron's all-time homer mark of 755. He would like to make the record breaker come much sooner as the San Francisco Giants continue their four-game set with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

On Monday, Bonds went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first game after clubbing homer No. 755 on Saturday. The 43-year-old slugger was replaced in the field after striking out for the last out in the seventh in the Giants' 3-2, 11-inning victory.

Bonds is 0-for-2 in his career against Mike Bacsik (5-6, 4.19 ERA), who has been a big part of the Nationals' recent surge. Since his win on July 21 to start his personal three-game winning streak, the lefthander has carried a tidy 2.18 ERA.

His last outing - a 7-3 triumph over the Cincinnati Reds - Bacsik allowed three runs and seven hits, striking out six over seven frames. He has not faced San Francisco in nearly five years and just once in his career, taking a loss on August 22, 2002 when he allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings as a member of the New Yor Mets.

After suffering through a rough July, Barry Zito (8-10, 5.08) has started August much better. Last month, the lefthander went 1-2 with a 7.82 ERA but has turned it around so far in August, yielding one run over 5 2/3 innings in Thursday's 5-4 win over the the Los Angeles Dodgers before tossing a scoreless frame in relief on Sunday against the San Diego Padres.

The 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner has faced Washington just once in his career, taking the loss after permitting two runs over seven frames on June 7, 2005 while he was still playing for the Oakland Athletics.