Mohr makes amends for blunder

Home run helps Giants salvage split of doubleheader with Expos

? Dustan Mohr wanted to crawl in a hole after his baserunning blunder cost the San Francisco Giants a shot at a comeback in the first game of their doubleheader with the Montreal Expos.

He received another chance in the nightcap, and made the most of it.

Barry Bonds homered for the third time in two days, and Mohr also connected to help lead the Giants to a 14-4 rout of the Expos in the second game and finish with a split Wednesday. Montreal won the opener, 6-2.

The Giants had their six-game winning streak snapped in the opener.

Bonds’ pinch-hit popup in the eighth turned into a bizarre double play because of Mohr’s mental mistake. The Giants trailed 3-2 when Mohr and Deivi Cruz singled. That brought up Bonds, the NL’s leading hitter, causing the crowd to go crazy.

But Bonds, who didn’t start the first game after homering twice Tuesday night, couldn’t deliver with one out. He hit a foul pop that Tony Batista caught, and the Montreal third baseman wound up with a double play when Mohr was caught up watching the play, wandered off second base and was easily thrown out.

Manager Felipe Alou vowed to discuss smart baserunning with his team.

“I take full responsibility for the loss in the first game,” Mohr said. “I think people thought I thought it was two outs. That wasn’t the case. I got caught up watching the play and drifted off the base. It was a mental error. I felt really bad about that. I guess I just have to apologize to my teammates.”

They will certainly accept his sorries after seeing the shot he sent deep into the left-field bleachers in the seventh inning of the nightcap — the longest homer Alou has seen to left in this ballpark.

Mohr, batting in Bonds’ spot after the slugger left the game to rest, connected with two outs in the seventh. The two-run shot was estimated at 451 feet and gave him seven homers.

“I don’t know if hitting a home run in an 11-2 game is redeeming yourself, but it took some of the edge off the fans in left field who were letting me know how they felt,” Mohr said.

Bonds hit a solo shot off Francis Beltran in the fifth inning of the nightcap for his 34th homer and No. 692 of his career.

Cubs 7, Brewers 5, 11 innings

Milwaukee — Corey Patterson hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning to lead Chicago over Milwaukee. Patterson’s 16th home run of the season came with two outs off Travis Phelps, who was making his first major-league appearance for the Brewers. Kent Mercker (3-0) threw two-thirds of an inning for the victory, and LaTroy Hawkins pitched the 11th for his 18th save.

Astros 9, Phillies 8

Philadelphia — Carlos Beltran’s two-run double in the eighth inning helped Houston beat Philadelphia after Roger Clemens joined Andy Pettitte on the Astros’ injury list. Clemens is day to day after straining his right calf running to first base on his two-run single in the fourth. The six-time AL Cy Young Award winner gave up four runs in three innings.

Marlins 6, Dodgers 4

Los Angeles — Pinch-hitter Lenny Harris delivered a three-run double off Eric Gagne with two outs in the ninth inning, rallying Florida past Los Angeles. It was only Gagne’s second blown save in 100 chances dating to Aug. 26, 2002.

D’backs 6, Pirates 3

Phoenix — Shea Hillenbrand’s three-run homer capped a five-run fifth inning and sent Arizona over Pittsburgh. Casey Fossum pitched seven solid innings to end a six-game losing skid and win for the first time since July 1.

Braves 6, Padres 5

San Diego — Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning, and Atlanta threw out the potential tying run at the plate for the final out. Mark Loretta drew a two-out walk from John Smoltz, and Brian Giles followed with a grounder down the first-base line that went into the right-field corner. J.D. Drew fielded the ball and relayed it to second baseman Marcus Giles, who threw home. Catcher Eddie Perez tagged out Loretta, who tried to score all the way from first on the hit, which was ruled a double.

Reds 5, Cardinals 4

St. Louis — Rookie Josh Hancock won for the first time as a starter, and Sean Casey drove in three runs, helping Cincinnati beat St. Louis to avoid a three-game sweep. Scott Rolen homered, and Albert Pujols doubled twice for St. Louis.