June 25, 2001 by staff@baseballhistorian.com

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JIM EDMONDS STEALS SPOTLIGHT

Barry Bonds and his traveling home run onslaught stormed into Big Mac territory for a weekend series at Busch Sadium pitting Bonds' San Francisco Giants against Mark McGwire's St. Louis Cardinals.

Well, Bonds cooled of a bit, McGwire did crash one homer in the three-game set, but it was center fielder Jim Edmonds' torrid hitting in the final game of the 3-game set that enabled the Red Birds to win two of three to gain two games on the Cubs in the NLCD race.

Edmonds paced the Cardinals to a 7-3 win Sunday by rapping-out a 2-for-4 night, including his 16th two-base hit, and by driving in 4 key-runs - his 41st and 42nd RBIs of the season. First baseman Mark McGwire was 0-for-4, with 2 popouts and 2 Ks. Cards' starter Matt Morris (10-4) allowed just two runs and seven hits in six innings of work.

Barry Bonds flied out in all four trips to the plate, went 1-for-9 including his 39th homer and six walks in the three games.

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The July 200 issue of T & L Golf Magazine lists the majors top golfers, the Atlanta Braves' John Smoltz and Greg Maddux, along with New York Yankee's Roger Clemens head the list. Chicago White Sox shortstop Royce Clayton, who finally broke out off his hitting funk, also rates high.

Around the retired players, Ryne Sandberg, one of the most popular Cub ever, tops all players in the Chicago area. Ryno handily beat current Cub manager Don Baylor in a tourney recently.

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WALKER, ROCKIES STING DIAMONDBACKS 7-6

Larry Walker, pinch hitting, lined a 2-run single off mound Master Randy Johnson (9-5) to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 7-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Denny Neagle (6-2) who just came off the disabled list, surrendered 8-hits, 4-runs in six innings, to help Colorado snap a six-game losing streak.

NL West Standing: June 25, 2001

Arizona 46-29 ... San Francisco 40-35, 6 GB ... Los Angeles 38-36, 7 1/2 GB ... Colorado 37-38, 9 GB ... San Diego 35-40, 11 GB

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LUIS GONZALEZ IS BONDS' SECOND STORY MAN

From USA TODAY by Cesar Brioso - June 25, 2001

Roger Maris had Mickey Mantle. Mark McGwire had Sammy Sosa. And Barry Bonds has his foil as he chases the single-season home run record.

'I do have a partner,' Barry Bonds said. 'Luis Gonzalez. It's unfortunate that he's missed in this whole thing.'

While the Giants left fielder (Bonds) has clubbed opposing pitchers for a record 39 home runs before the All-Star break, Luis Gonzalez also has homered his way into a McGwire-esque pace.

With 32 home runs through Sunday, Gonzalez is on pace to finish with 69, one shy of the mark by McGwire in 1998. Bonds is on pace to obliterate the record with a projected 85 home runs.

The Cubs Sammy Sosa and Gonzalez each had June surges. In 1998 Sosa hit 20 homers to pull within four of McGwire. Gonzalez has hit 12 homers this June to pull within seven of Bonds.

'We have a running joke when we see each other,' Bonds says of Gonzalez. "I'll say to him - I meant to call you,' or he'll tell me the same thing. 'He's a great guy.'

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