Bonds looks to history books

Barry Bonds is on course for a record-breaking season

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National League

San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds, who is on course to rewrite major league history, tucked a National League record under his belt as he pounded his 24th home run of the season.

Bonds launched Arizona Diamondbacks' Russ Springer into the seats in for his ninth homer in sixth games to set a new NL mark.

His tally of 24 in San Francisco's first 45 games this season puts him ahead of Mark McGwire's record-setting pace.

It would be nice if it could help our team win a few games

  Barry Bonds

When the St Louis Cardinals slugger set his record 70 home-runs in 1998, he took 48 games to post 24 homers.

Bonds now has 518 home runs, three short of Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for 11th place on the all-time list.

But the record was no consolation for Bonds, whose team-mates are doing their best to waste his efforts.

"It's not really worth talking about. It would be nice if it could help our team win games," said Bonds as the Giants lurched to a 12-8 defeat, their fifth loss in Bonds' hot streak.

Elsewhere, Ryan Klseko slammed two homers for the second consecutive game to lead the San Diego Padres to a 6-2 win at Houston Astros.

John Smoltz suffered his second defeat in his second start since October 1999 as the Florida Marlins edged the Atlanta Braves 3-2 at Turner Field.

Smoltz - still feeling his way back after elbow surgery - gave up three runs and nine hits, striking out five batters.

Vladimir Guerrero's two-run homer prompted the Montreal Expos to a 3-0 win over the New York Mets in a game that drew only 4,186 fans.

Milwaukee Brewers' Jimmy Haynes extended his runless streak to 17 innings as he pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings to see off the St Louis Cardinals 5-0.

Nefi Perez's triple sparked the Colorado Rockies to rally to a 11-8 win over the LA Dodgers.

American League

Jason Giambi's three-run homer sparked the Oakland Athletics to victory over the Kansas City Royals .

The win was the A's seventh straight as the reigning AL West champions continued their recovery from a poor start to the season.

Giambi's three-run shot off Jason Grimsley confirmed a 4-1 win to even their record to 22-22.

Jason Giambi sparked the A's against the Royals

Just three weeks ago the A's record stood at 8-18. But despite winning 14 of their last 18, they still trail the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners by 10 games.

Elsewhere, the Minnesota Twins outslugged the Seattle Mariners 12-11 in a clash between the teams with the best records in the majors.

Two of the best pitching staffs in the league were left reeling as the Twins led 8-0, and then 12-7 before finally seeing off the Mariners.

Jeff Weaver pitched 7 2/3 shut-out innings for the Detroit Tigers at Jacobs Field to stifle a powerful Cleveland Indians offense.

The Texas Rangers won back-to-back games for the first time in more than a month with a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

Gabe Kapler took Bryan Rekar (0-6) downtown for his sixth homer of the season, and his third in five games to maintain the Rangers' 15-game streak of recording at least one homer.

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National League

Florida 3-2 Atlanta
Montreal 3-0 NY Mets
Chicago Cubs 5-3 Cincinnati
Milwaukee 5-0 St Louis
Colorado 11-8 Los Angeles
Arizona 12-8 San Francisco
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia postponed

American League

Detroit 3-1 Cleveland
Texas 5-2 Tampa Bay
Oakland 4-1 Kansas City
Minnesota 12-11 Seattle
Anaheim at Baltimore postponed
Boston at New York postponed