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SAN DIEGO - Barry Bonds remained stuck on 744 career home runs for a sixth successive game on Saturday, one blast shy of moving into a tie with Hank Aaron for the most in Major League Baseball history.
The San Francisco Giants slugger went hitless in four at bats against the San Diego Padres, three of them facing starter Greg Maddux, who has faced Bonds since both were rookies in 1986.
Bonds, 43, continued his lack of success at pitcher-friendly Petco Park, where he has hit just three home runs in 77 at-bats since the park opened in 2004.
The left-fielder was once again greeted by loud boos by the home crowd every time he came to the plate.
While anti-Bonds signs were confiscated at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles this week, several dozen fans held up signs showing an asterisk at Petco Park.
Fans who believe that Bonds has taken performance-enhancing drugs, including steroids, say his home run total should be accompanied by an asterisk in the record books and that Aaron's notation should remain unblemished.
Security was heavy, however, and more than 20 guards circled the field between innings.
One player not struggling to go deep, however, was San Diego left-fielder Scott Hairson, who belted his second homer of the game in the bottom of the 10th to give the hosts a 4-3 win.
The Giants have two more games in San Diego before returning to San Francisco for seven matches against the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates starting on Tuesday (NZT).
- REUTERS
