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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- J.T. Snow started out Sunday with a pair of
strikeouts. Things got better from there.
Snow had a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning Sunday
as the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers 6-4 for their
10th win in 12 games.
"It's a funny game," he said. "It started out being a bad
day, and it turned out to be a good day."
San Francisco moved within 1½ games of the NL West-leading
Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, the closest they've been to
first since April 8.
Snow is batting .333 against AL clubs this season, and over the
past four years he has 19 home runs with a major league-leading 64
RBI in interleague games, moving past Ken Griffey Jr. on Sunday
for the RBI lead.
The homer, which cleared the right-field wall of the Giants' new
bayside ballpark but fell just short of a splash landing in McCovey
Cove, came off Esteban Loaiza (5-6) and put San Francisco ahead
4-3. It followed Barry Bonds' leadoff walk and Jeff Kent's single.
Bobby Estalella added an RBI single off Francisco Cordero later in
the inning.
"We knew if we stayed close, Loaiza has a tendency to give up
the long ball. We were hoping someone would pop one," Giants
manager Dusty Baker said.
Snow expected just the opposite.
"They're an American League team," he said. "You expect the
three-run homers from them."
Rich Aurilia extended the Giants' lead in the eighth with a solo
homer that left fielder Rusty Greer jumped for but missed -- as a
diving gray-haired fan snagged it. Greer pleaded fan interference
with the umpires, but the home run was called.
Greer later said he thought he had a chance at the ball, but "I
can't say definitely would have had it."
Aurilia said he saw the replay but thought fan interference was
inconclusive.
"Hey, he (the fan) made a great catch," Aurilia said. "It
looked like he ran from quite a distance away and made a great
catch."
Shawn Estes (9-3), who hasn't lost in six starts since June 10
against Seattle, allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Alan Embree allowed a seventh-inning sacrifice fly to Greer, and
Robb Nen worked the ninth for his 20th save in 25 chances.
The loss snapped a five-game Texas winning streak against
left-handed starters.
Loaiza, who has shifted between the bullpen and the starting
rotation this season, gave up five runs and eight hits in five-plus
innings.
Ivan Rodriguez put the Rangers ahead with a run-scoring grounder
in the first, but Bonds hit an RBI double off the center-field wall
in the bottom half.
"You make your own breaks," Rangers manager Johnny Oates
lamented. "We had our chances but we weren't getting the big
hits."
Game notes
Giants manager Dusty Baker said he will rest Jeff Kent on
Monday, which would be just the second time this season the second
baseman hasn't started. Kent, who leads the National League with 85
RBI, recently had stomach flu and dropped 12 pounds. ... Baker
needs two more victories to match Leo Durocher with 1,160 for third
place on the Giants' career list. ... Livan Hernandez is scheduled
to make his 100th career start Monday against Ryan Glynn. ... David
Segui started at first base Sunday, marking his 1,000th career
appearance at the position. ... Sunday was Until There's a Cure
Day, the Giant's annual fundraiser for AIDS research and treatment.
The Giants and the Rangers wore red ribbon insignias on their
uniform.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
San Francisco Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 5
Montreal 2
Houston 5
Cleveland 1
Detroit 6
Cincinnati 2
NY Yankees 9
Philadelphia 8
Toronto 7
NY Mets 3
Atlanta 6
Tampa Bay 4
Baltimore 9
Florida 5
Chi. White Sox 11
Milwaukee 5
Minnesota 5
St. Louis 2
San Francisco 6
Texas 4
Seattle 6
Arizona 3
San Diego 6
Anaheim 5
Oakland 0
Colorado 0
Chicago Cubs 10
Kansas City 7
Los Angeles 7
Pittsburgh 3
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