Tony Gwynn Jr. Neat Story

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Tony Gwynn, Jr. collects 1st MLB hit exactly 24 years after his father's first hit

San Francisco Giants 7

Milwaukee Brewers 6

July 19, 2006

(by JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds bobbed his head and sang along to an old hip-hop tune by Bobby Brown while sitting back in his chair, seemingly without a worry in the world.

A day before he could be indicted, Bonds delivered the big hit that started San Francisco's winning rally Wednesday.

Ray Durham capped the comeback, hitting a two-run single off closer Derrick Turnbow's glove in the ninth inning as the Giants turned a couple of lucky bounces into a 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Back in his corner of the clubhouse afterward, Bonds enjoyed Brown's song "My Prerogative." Bonds could be indicted by a grand jury on perjury and tax evasion charges as soon as Thursday.

Bonds led off the ninth with a pinch-hit single, right after Turnbow thought he'd struck out the Giants star. The seven-time NL MVP, who turns 42 on Monday, did not start following Tuesday's night game.

"I just saw it and hit it, that's it," Bonds said. "Just like Ray did. ... It's hard to pinch-hit in that situation. He got ahead of me early and I worked the count full."

When asked whether he was anxious about a potential indictment, Bonds said he would only answer baseball-related questions. Eventually, he lifted his hands to shoo away a group of reporters.

"See you later. Have fun," he said.

Jose Vizcaino pinch-ran for Bonds, and with one out, Steve Finley hit a chopper up the middle that skipped past shortstop Bill Hall and deflected off second baseman Rickie Weeks' mitt. The ball bounded into center field for a double, and Moises Alou was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Durham, who homered earlier, hit a one-hopper that could've become a game-ending double play. Instead, Turnbow reached for the ball and it glanced off his glove and caromed into right-center for the game-winner.

San Francisco earned its second straight one-run victory following a team meeting Tuesday, giving the Giants momentum going into a four-game series at home against NL West-leading San Diego starting Thursday night.

"The win is a huge lift," said Durham, who homered for the fifth time in eight games to give him 15 on the year. "If we lost with the first-place Padres coming in, it would have been a struggle. I was sitting on a fastball and he got two strikes on me, then I got my fastball. The ball hit the pitcher's glove and I think it would have been a bang-bang play, but there was no way I was getting doubled off, no chance."

Turnbow (4-6) blew his fourth save in his last seven appearances and was so upset he declined to talk to reporters.

"He threw the ball well today," manager Ned Yost said. "The 2-2 pitch to Barry might have been a strike but it wasn't, because it's Barry. Finley's ball was a tough play. It had a strange hop."

Gabe Gross hit a three-run homer, Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer and Hall added a solo shot for the Brewers.

Tony Gwynn Jr. had a pinch-hit double off Brian Wilson in the Milwaukee ninth for his first Major League hit. His father's first Major League hit -- also a double -- came exactly 24 years earlier to the day, on July 19, 1982, for the Padres.

The younger Gwynn received a standing ovation when his accomplishment was announced between innings.

"He hit a double, too," said the rookie outfielder, who was told before the game that it was the anniversary of his dad's first hit.

Brian Wilson (1-0) pitched one inning for his first Major League victory.

"I don't really think about wins," he said. "The whole game was a ton of emotion. We all felt we were going to win, even down five runs."

Lee connected in the first, sending the first pitch from Matt Morris over the wall in left-center for his 27th homer of the year. Hall led off the second with his 19th homer and second of this series, in which he drove in five runs.

Gross homered in the third and fans began booing Morris as the Brewers' hits total increased.

Durham hit a two-run homer in the fifth off Doug Davis that pulled the Giants to 6-4. San Francisco rookie Eliezer Alfonzo hit a solo homer in the eighth, and also doubled and singled. Finley had two doubles and a single, a sacrifice fly and scored twice.

Morris came close to having his five-game winning streak snapped. He hasn't lost since June 9 against Pittsburgh.

Notes

Lee homered for the first time in the second half, with his last coming July 9 in a loss to the Chicago Cubs ... San Francisco's Omar Vizquel stole his 17th base ... Giants catcher Eliezer Alfonzo stole the first base of his career.