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Bonds sets National League home run record

Sep 24, 2006 - 3:16 AM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Move over, Hank Aaron.

Barry Bonds hit his 734th career homer to become the National League's all-time leader as the San Francisco Giants dropped a 10-8 decision to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The seven-time MVP moved Aaron down a peg when he belted a 1-0 offering from Milwaukee starter Chris Capuano over the right field fence for his 26th homer of the season, moving him within 21 of Aaron's all-time home run mark.

"It's a good accomplishment, but I just want to win," Bonds said. "We got so close. It's not fun to talk about right now, it's really not. I wish it was a better time."

"You make your good pitches on him and you get him out," Capuano said. "He (Bonds) takes advantage of mistakes. He got a fastball up in the zone, pretty much right down the middle. I just happened to get lazy with one."

With the loss, San Francisco (76-78) fell six games behind Philadelphia in the National League wild card chase. The Giants have lost seven of their first eight games on their current nine-game road trip.

"It's been ugly," Bonds said. "I haven't seen nothing like this since my young days in Pittsburgh. We're out there pushing. Everybody's out there working hard, but it goes by wins and losses regardless of what you do out there. It's been a long road trip."

Milwaukee broke an 8-8 tie in the eighth against Giants rookie Jack Taschner (0-1). With one out, Tony Graffanino singled and stole second after rookie Prince Fielder struck out. Bill Hall then stroked a two-bagger to right field for the go-ahead run.

"I was just trying to give Graffanino time to pick up his move and get to second base," Hall said. "He did, and then it was time to get a nice, easy base hit. Early in the count I was looking for something to drive, but I knew I just needed a single to get him in from second.

"That's what I was concentrating on, just putting it over the infield."

San Francisco right fielder Moises Alou then dropped a short fly ball hit by Corey Hart, allowing Hall to score an insurance tally.

Hall drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of Friday's 13-12 triumph against the Giants.

"They kept fighting and scoring runs and it was another see-saw battle. We're just happy to come out on top," Hall said. "It's fun to be scoring all these runs right now. You've got to cherish these moments because the times when you're not scoring a lot of runs don't feel so well."

Hart, who was playing left field, also made a sliding catch in left-center field in the ninth with a runner on base to help seal Francisco Cordero's 15th save. Jose Capellan (4-2) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth.

"The bullpen did a great job," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "That and clutch hitting by Billy were key. Two nights in a row his approach has been phenomenal, using his ability to drive in the winning run."