Bonds helps Giants snap four-game losing streak

DENVER (AP) -- Barry Bonds stood in front of his locker and joked with reporters. Snapping a four-game losing streak will put a star in a good mood, especially when he had a hand in the win.

Elias Says

Aaron Cook handed a 3-0 lead to the bullpen to begin the seventh inning, but it took seven Colorado relievers to record the final nine outs in a 7-4 loss to the Giants. The Rockies' bullpen has a 7.26 ERA in relief of Cook this season, the highest for any starting pitcher in the majors (minimum: 10 starts). Colorado's bullpen has relinquished the lead in seven games this season in which Cook was the pitcher of record on the winning side at the time of his departure. Cook's seven "blown wins" this year are tied with Jarrod Washburn for the most in the majors. • For more Elias Says, click here

The San Francisco Giants rallied in the eighth inning to beat the Colorado Rockies 7-4 Wednesday, perhaps ending their slump in time to stay in the playoff race.

Bonds had a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. San Francisco scored five runs in the inning.

The Giants trail first-place San Diego by four games in the NL West and Los Angeles by 3½ games in the wild-card race with 11 games remaining. They had lost six of eight.

"We needed it," Bonds said. "No doubt about it."

Asked if the Giants could still be a factor in the playoff hunt, Bonds just stared straight ahead.

"Time will tell," he said. "It's going to be tough, though."

Steve Finley has seen enough crazy things happen in baseball to know it's not over yet.

"Unfortunately, we need help," Finley said. "But we don't give up. We haven't done it this year and we're not going to start now."

If San Francisco does get in, Wednesday's eighth inning might go down as a big reason. The Giants trailed 3-2 going into the eighth.

Ray Durham's double scored Todd Linden to tie the game, and Bonds' single brought home pinch-runner Fred Lewis. Todd Greene followed with a two-run triple off the wall and then scored on Moises Alou's double.

"Hopefully, this win will help us get a streak going or something like that," Greene said.

Brian Wilson (2-3) got the win and Manuel Corpas, who hadn't given up a run in his last eight outings, took the loss. Corpas (1-2) gave up three runs without recording an out.

Mike Stanton worked the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances with the Giants, getting a double play with two on to end it.

Alou's day off ended in the seventh when his father summoned him for pinch-hit duty. With a runner on, two outs and the Giants trailing 2-0, Alou came through with a two-run homer, the third pinch-hit shot of his career.

Giants manager Felipe Alou couldn't help but gush after the game.

"He's a guy who thrives in big at-bats," Felipe Alou said. "He likes to be there when the pressure's on."

Same with Bonds?

"Yeah, of course," Alou said. "There's not much more I can say about Barry."

Jason Schmidt, who skipped his start last Friday due to tightness in his lower back, tied a season high with seven walks. He was pulled after walking J.D. Closser following a three-run triple by Brad Hawpe in the fifth.

Schmidt gave up four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He eclipsed the 200-inning mark for the fifth time in his career.

Felipe Alou thought Schmidt's injury was a factor in his performance.

"I don't think something is right," the manager said. "We all appreciated his effort."

The same can be said of Aaron Cook, who pitched six scoreless innings for Colorado, giving up a season-low three hits, but didn't get the win.

"I thought he gave us everything he had and put us in a position to win," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "After that we weren't able to do what we had to do."

Hawpe tripled in three runs with a two-out liner into the right-field corner in the fifth. Hawpe was hitting .235 with runners in scoring position before his hit that broke up a scoreless tie.

"He was going to give me something to hit and I didn't want to miss the best pitch to hit," Hawpe said about swinging at the first pitch.

Finley's two-out triple in the fourth was his 12th of the season, tying him with Willie Mays for the most in team history during one season.

"It's a great honor to be mentioned with him," Finley said.

Bonds had no idea that Finley had tied his godfather for the team record for triples, but he's not surprised.

"He hits and runs," Bonds said. "Unlike me, who hits and watches. It takes me three hours to get out of the batter's box."

Game notes
Garrett Atkins went 9-for-13 with five extra-base hits and 10 RBI in the series. ... The teams combined for 17 walks. ... Bonds moved past Jimmie Foxx and into sole possession of fifth place on the career list with his 1,923rd RBI.