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  Tuesday, Jun. 6 10:05pm ET
Angels benefit from another Nen blown save
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- One a night when Dusty Baker was expecting to tie Roger Craig for most career victories by San Francisco Giants manager, his closer blew a save for the second time in two games and his leading RBI man stranded eight runners.

Mo Vaughn's RBI single off Robb Nen capped a ninth-inning comeback as the Anaheim Angels overcame Barry Bonds' major league-leading 25th homer to beat the Giants 6-5 Tuesday night.

Marvin Benard, who homered during a three-run second inning, gave the Giants a 5-4 lead in the ninth with an RBI double off Troy Percival (4-2). But Nen (0-2) blew a save for the fourth time in 12 tries after issuing a critical walk to pinch-hitter Scott Spiezio on a 3-2 pitch.

"He's thrown the ball excellent. The only thing is, that the walks got us in trouble the last couple of nights," Baker said. "Last night, he walked (Kevin) Stocker in front of Vaughn with two outs in the ninth and tonight it was the walk to Spiezio.

Adam Kennedy singled with one out and Darin Erstad followed the walk to Spiezio with an RBI single. Nen then charged Stocker's squeeze bunt and made a shovel throw to catcher Bobby Estalella for the out on Spiezio -- resulting in a brief argument between Angels manager Mike Scioscia and umpire Tim McClelland.

Moments later, Erstad scored just ahead of Armando Rios' one-bounce throw on Vaughn's single to right, upending Estalella.

"This is a comeback team, and that's a good thing," Vaughn said. "That's what makes it good to play with these guys. They never give up. It's a different guy each time. These guys have been picking me up for the last five days. Some day we hope to have a game where we can jump out in front and relax. But until then, we'll keep fighting."

Baker's postgame anguish could have been avoided a lot earlier had it not been for Jeff Kent, who started the day as the NL's fifth-leading run producer.

Kent went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts and stranded two in both the seventh and ninth innings. In the fifth, he came up with the bases loaded and hit a checked-swing grounder to the right of the mound, which Angels starter Seth Etherton turned into an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.

"I have nothing but praise for Jeff," Baker said. "Jeff's been our real clutch RBI man, but you're going to have those kind of nights. I'm sure Jeff doesn't feel good about it, but we have every bit of confidence in him."

San Francisco took a 3-0 lead in the third on Benard's two-run homer and Bonds' 10th homer in 16 games following his back injury. The 493-foot drive to right was the longest in two-plus seasons since Edison Field was renovated.

Bill Mueller's RBI single put the Giants ahead 4-1 in the seventh. The Angeles closed in the bottom half on RBI singles by Bengie Molina and Erstad, then tied it in the eighth on Tim Salmon's homer off rookie Aaron Fultz.

Joe Nathan, activated from the disabled list before the game, allowed one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings. He had been sidelined since May 13 because of right shoulder tendinitis.

Etherton allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He'll probably go back to Triple-A Edmonton because the Angels won't need a fifth starter again until June 17, and Tim Belcher probably will have been activated by then.

Vaughn drove in a run in the sixth with an infield out -- a liner that popped out of Nathan's glove.

Game notes
Bonds' previous high before the All-Star break was 24 homers in 1993, when he finished with a career-high 46. He has 470 homers, five behind Stan Musial and Willie Stargell, who are tied for 18th. ... The Giants designated OF Terrell Lowery for assignment. ... Mark Petkovsek, on the disabled list since May 17 because of viral syndrome, is to make his first rehab starts on Wednesday and Friday at Class-A Lake Elsinore.

 


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