SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds hit his 660th home run exactly as he would have scripted it: at home before a sellout crowd to give the Giants the lead.
The San Francisco slugger tied godfather Willie Mays for third on baseball's career list Monday with a towering three-run shot that splashed into McCovey Cove, sending the Giants to a 7-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Bonds connected in the fifth inning on a 3-1 pitch from Matt Kinney (0-1) for his second homer of the season. The estimated 442-foot blast put the Giants ahead 5-4. It was the 28th time Bonds has homered into the water.
"It was like a weight was just lifted off my shoulders," Bonds said. "I felt a sense of accomplishment in baseball. It's a relief now to be able to stand next to my godfather and finally feel like I've accomplished something in the game of baseball. It was a big way of getting his approval that I've finally done something."
The 39-year-old Bonds was greeted at home by several teammates and he stepped on the plate and raised both hands in the air and pointed to the sky.
Mays, who turns 73 next month, hurried to congratulate the six-time NL MVP, giving his godson a hug and a kiss outside the dugout. Mays presented him with a torch decorated with 25 tiny diamonds, symbolic of the number Bonds wears. They both carried the torch before the 2002 Olympics.
Bonds came back out of the dugout and waved to the fans in each direction as they cheered, "Barry! Barry!" and gave him a standing ovation. The sellout crowd of 42,548 appeared to quickly forget about the steroid controversy surrounding their star slugger and his personal trainer.
Children along the left-field wall bowed to Bonds when he came out to play the field in the top of the sixth. A banner of Bonds was unfurled from the light tower to the left side of the main center-field scoreboard to match one of Mays on the other side.
"I think this is probably the icing on the cake," Bonds said. "I really wish my dad could have been here to be part of it. . . . I just really can't believe it, being 4 years old when my dad came up into the major leagues and having an idol like Willie Mays take me under his wing, and now being up in front of all of you people answering questions what it's like to tie the man you respected and honored your entire life."
Mays has been a mentor to Bonds since the slugger's father, Bobby, died last August.
Hank Aaron leads the career list with 755 home runs, followed by Babe Ruth with 714.
Mays hit his 660th on Aug. 17, 1973, as a member of the New York Mets at Shea Stadium off Cincinnati's Don Gullett.
"I don't even recall that. That's many years ago," said Mays, who preferred to focus on Bonds' accomplishment.
Bonds, who set the single-season homer record with 73 in 2001, went five games without a homer after hitting one last Monday at Houston.
PIRATES 13, CUBS 2: At Chicago, Greg Maddux's Wrigley Field homecoming with the Chicago Cubs was upstaged by Kris Benson.
Benson allowed one hit in six superb innings, outpitching a wild and ineffective Maddux in Chicago's first game at Wrigley Field since losing last year's NL championship series.
REDS 4, PHILLIES 1: At Philadelphia, Paul Wilson allowed just one run over 7 1/3 innings in the first game at Citizens Bank Park, triggering boos from a sellout crowd, frustrated by the home team's slow start.
METS 10, BRAVES 6: At New York, Newcomers Kaz Matsui and Mike Cameron each drove in two runs, Steve Trachsel was terrific on the mound and at the plate in a New York victory.
Todd Zeile added three hits as a makeshift Mets lineup roughed up former teammate Mike Hampton (0-1) in building a 10-0 lead.
ROCKIES 7, DIAMONDBACKS 4: At Denver, Colorado rallied for four runs in the seventh inning, capitalizing on Arizona reliever Jose Valverde's wildness.
The Rockies erased a 3-0 deficit in their home opener before a sellout crowd of 48,013.
ASTROS 10, CARDINALS 5: At St. Louis, Richard Hidalgo hit a three-run home run and broke an eighth-inning tie with a sacrifice fly to help Houston.
Craig Biggio had three doubles, three RBIs and scored three times for the Astros. Ricky Stone (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning to get the win.
All-Time HR Leaders
(x-active)
Player No.
1. Hank Aaron 755
2. Babe Ruth 714
3. Willie Mays 660
tie. x-Barry Bonds 660
5. Frank Robinson 586
6. Mark McGwire 583
7. Harmon Killebrew 573
8. Reggie Jackson 563
9. Mike Schmidt 548
10. x-Sammy Sosa 540