Giants Lacking Punch When It Means Most

So Danny Darwin took exception to some nonchalant defense by Barry Bonds and they mixed it up in a dugout tunnel Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

“Situations happen on all teams where winning is serious,” said their San Francisco teammate, second baseman Jeff Kent.

The more serious situation might be a lack of punch by Bonds, Kent and J.T. Snow in the middle of the Giants’ lineup.

Those three hit 97 homers and drove in 326 runs as the Giants won the West title last year. Each had more than 100 RBIs, which Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda never accomplished as a group. Nor did Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell and Matt Williams.

Through Friday, however, the Bonds-Kent-Snow trio had only five homers and 33 RBIs, and Bonds, batting .244 and four for 25 in his last seven games, pointed a finger at himself.

“I’m getting the pitches to hit, but I’m swinging poorly,” said Bonds, who is no longer even being pitched around. Three Giants have more walks than the man who led the league in walks the last four years.

“I’ve been through it before and know how to battle out of it [but] you get tired of it,” Bonds said. “I’m supposed to . . . get things started but I’m hurting the team instead.”

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Only the Atlanta Braves had a better home-field record than the Colorado Rockies over the last three years, but the struggling Rockies were looking forward to a stretch of 18 of 20 games on the road after going 3-10 on a Coors Field engagement--their longest of the year--that ended Monday.

“I didn’t think I’d ever feel that way, but the fact of the matter is, this will probably be good for us,” Dante Bichette said of the road swing.

“Coors Field is a great place to play when you’re playing good. But when you’re playing as bad as we have, it is an easy place to put pressure on yourself, wanting to perform for the 40,000-plus who show up every game. I mean, we are going to have to win at Coors Field if we plan on winning [the division title], but right now we just need to start playing together.”

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Injuries have deflated the Milwaukee Brewers’ promise each of the last few years. Now, with the Brewers leading the Central Division, first baseman John Jaha is out at least three weeks because of a strained ligament in his left foot, an injury he suffered Wednesday against the Dodgers. Jaha had 11 homers and 46 RBIs when he was lost on June 3 of last year because of a left shoulder injury. The Brewers ultimately finished next to last in runs and home runs.

“He’s the key to our whole offense,” outfielder Jeromy Burnitz said.

Added General Manager Sal Bando: “It’s a tough thing to lose right-handed power. We can’t replace it.”

Former USC All-American Geoff Jenkins will try. Jenkins, a No. 1 draft pick in 1995, was recalled Thursday and homered Friday.

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Trying to get at umpire Joe West after being ejected Wednesday, San Diego Padre pitcher Kevin Brown threw coaches Tim Flannery and Rob Picciolo out of the way and knocked Manager Bruce Bochy off balance. Said Flannery, “He is very strong. He wouldn’t make a very good dance partner. He’d always want to lead.”