Giants’ Molina has two homers in fifth
SAN FRANCISCO — Bengie Molina hit a disputed two-run home run in the fifth inning, then added a three-run drive later in the inning, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 9-4 victory Monday over the New York Mets.
Molina became the first Giants player to homer twice in an inning since Willie McCovey in 1977, and Rich Aurilia also hit a three-run homer in the nine-run fifth.
Barry Zito (3-3) struck out five in six innings to win for the first time in three starts. He also had his second career hit in 44 at-bats and scored his first major league run.
Barry Bonds returned to the lineup and went 0 for 2 after getting the day off in Sunday night’s 8-5 loss to Philadelphia.
When Bonds scored in the fifth, it gave him sole possession of third place in runs with 2,175 -- moving him out of a tie with Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth.
With the Mets leading, 1-0, and Ray Durham aboard on a leadoff walk in the fifth, Molina lined a shot off Oliver Perez (3-3) to deep left-center. The ball hit the top of the wall, just in front of a fan, and dropped onto the warning track next to left fielder Moises Alou.
Mets Manager Willie Randolph came out to argue, then the umpires huddled and ruled it a homer. Molina briefly held up at second base and raised his hands in question.
Molina’s second homer came off Lino Urdaneta. The last player in the majors to homer twice in one inning was Julio Lugo, then with Tampa Bay, on July 22. It was Molina’s second career two-homer game.
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