Bonds' four HRs sets quick pace early

LOS ANGELES -- Barry Bonds is hitting the ball so hard, there's only one way to stop him -- outfielders in the bleachers.

A season after launching a record 73 home runs, Bonds is at it again. Two games, four homers.

"They'll get you out the majority of the time," Bonds said. "They have eight guys in the field who can stop the line drive."

It hasn't worked against him so far.

On Wednesday night, Bonds joined Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews as the only players in history to open a season with a pair of two-homer games. Mathews did it for the Milwaukee Braves in 1958.

Last year, the San Francisco star homered on opening day, but didn't hit his second homer until the Giants' ninth game, triggering a streak where he connected in four straight games and seven of eight.

"He's amazing," Giants pitcher Kirk Rueter said. "Right now, it looks like every time he's up he's going to hit a homer run or hit it hard.

"Watching him last year, I don't think anything surprises the guys," he said.

The 37-year-old San Francisco slugger set five big league records last season with his 73 homers along with 177 walks, an .863 slugging percentage, 15.34 home runs per 100 at-bats and one homer every 6.52 at-bats.

The four-time MVP also had a .515 on-base percentage.

Bonds homered in the first and fourth innings Wednesday night as the Giants pounded the Los Angeles Dodgers 12-0. A day earlier, he connected in the second and seventh innings in a 9-2 victory. In both cases, he came out of the game after his second homer.

His last three homers were tape-measure jobs, traveling an estimated 447, 443 and 459 feet.

"He's on a pace for 324," teammate J.T. Snow said. "Really, nothing else need be said."

Bonds entered Thursday night's game against Los Angeles with 571 homers -- two behind Harmon Killebrew for sixth on the career list. He was 2-for-3 with one homer against Dodgers starter Odalis Perez.

After popping out in his first at-bat Tuesday, Bonds reached base seven straight times with the four homers, an RBI single and two walks, one intentional.