Rodriguez, Bonds win Aaron award

San Francisco Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez won the Hank Aaron award for the second straight year Thursday, with broadcasters voting them the best hitters in their leagues this season.

Bonds hit a major league-best .370 with 46 homers and 110 RBIs for the San Francisco Giants. He also set records with 198 walks and 68 intentional passes.

Rodriguez, the Texas Rangers’ shortstop, led the majors with 57 homers and 142 RBIs and batted .300.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, the NL’s reigning rookie of the year, finished a distant fifth with 18 points, 236 behind Bonds.

In the AL, Kansas City Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney notched one first-place vote and finished seventh with 21 points, 203 behind Rodriguez. Sweeney’s .340 average this season was the second-highest average in Royals’ history, behind George Brett’s .390 in 1980.

Montreal may play 20 games in Puerto Rico

San Francisco As many as 20 Montreal Expos home games could be moved to Puerto Rico next year under a plan baseball officials discussed Thursday before Game 5 of the World Series.

Charlotte, N.C., Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C., have also been considered for Expos’ home games, but the focus is on Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, one lawyer familiar with the discussions said Thursday on the condition of anonymity.

Puerto Rican officials would like the Expos to play three six-game homestands in San Juan, in April, May and August. The other alternative would be to play two 10-game homestands, the lawyer said.

Kuntz joins Pirates

Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Pirates hired former major leaguer Rusty Kuntz as their first-base coach Thursday.