National League
Barry Bonds outdid his godfather -- and he has just two more baseball giants to chase.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Bonds hit his 661st homer Tuesday night, passing Willie Mays to take sole possession of third place on the career list in the San Francisco Giants' 4-2 victory over Milwaukee.
"[Mays] will always be my mentor," Bonds said. "He will always be the one I look up to. He will always be the best baseball player of all time. That isn't ever going to change."
In the seventh inning, Bonds hit a 1-2 pitch from right-hander Ben Ford over the right-field arcade and into McCovey Cove, reaching the water for the second straight day. The San Francisco slugger hit his 660th on Monday to nearly the same spot.
Only Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron still loom above Bonds (755). Bonds, who will turn 40 in July, hit 213 homers in the previous four seasons, including a major league-record 73 in 2001.
"I don't probably know anything about Babe Ruth," Bonds said playfully before reciting a list of Ruth's accomplishments. "I know how he changed the game and the contributions he made to his era ... But right now, I'm just working on 662."
Marquis Grissom hit two homers for the Giants in their third straight victory. Dustin Hermanson (1-0) held the Brewers to three hits and one run while pitching into the sixth inning.
Chris Capuano (1-1) was the loser.
Astros 5, Cardinals 3
In St. Louis, Roger Clemens allowed just two hits and extended his scoreless streak to 13 2-3 innings before giving up a run in the seventh in Houston's victory over St. Louis.
Clemens (2-0) struck out three, walked three and hit a batter in 6 2-3 innings. Last week in his Houston debut, he allowed one hit in seven shutout innings against San Francisco.
With his 312th victory, Clemens moved past Tom Seaver for 16th place on the career list.
Marlins 5, Expos 0
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Miguel Cabrera hit two more home runs and Brad Penny allowed only two hits as Florida blanked Montreal.
Cabrera has four home runs in his last nine at-bats and five this season. The 20-year-old slugger hit solo homers in the first and sixth innings, and had an RBI single in the third. He finished 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a walk.
Penny (1-1) pitched eight innings, striking out 10 and walking one. Tommy Phelps pitched the ninth. Montreal starter Claudio Vargas (1-1) allowed four runs -- three earned -- in six innings.
Padres 8, Dodgers 3
In San Diego, Adam Eaton allowed two runs in seven innings, while the Padres had a six-run fourth inning to down Los Angeles.
American League
Paul Konerko hit a go-ahead three-run homer to help struggling Esteban Loaiza get his second win, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 12-5 Tuesday in Ozzie Guillen's Chicago debut as manager.
Guillen, a former shortstop spent 13 of his 16 major league seasons with the White Sox, got a rousing ovation before the game, taking his cap off at home plate and waving to the crowd.
"Even when I was playing, I always wanted to manage," Guillen said before the game. "Coming back to Chicago and knowing how the people feel about me and how I feel about the people makes it easier."
Konerko connected in the fifth off Darrell May (0-2) following walks to Frank Thomas and Carlos Lee to make it 7-4.
The Royals, meanwhile, hit four homers off Loaiza on a blustery day. Angel Berroa, Mike Sweeney, Aaron Guiel and Tony Graffanino each homered.
Blue Jays 7, Tigers 5
In Detroit, Josh Phelps broke a ninth-inning tie with an RBI single in Toronto's comeback victory over Detroit.
Eric Hinske homered in the second for Toronto, and Kevin Cash was 4-for-4 with three doubles and two RBIs.
Athletics 10, Rangers 9
In Arlington, Texas, Damian Miller had three hits, including a three-run homer, to help Oakland overcome a poor start by Barry Zito and edge Texas.
While Zito (1-1) never trailed in his five innings, he squandered a 6-0 lead and the Athletics led by only a run before Miller's first homer made it 10-6 in the fourth.
Miller was 3-for-4 with a walk and a double. Jermaine Dye had a homer and an RBI double.
The Rangers, the top hitting team in the majors, had 16 hits, including Brad Fullmer's solo homer.
Arthur Rhodes pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
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