Kent Makes Burba Pay for Free Pass

CINCINNATI — With two grand slams already this season, Jeff Kent could start making pitchers think twice about walking Barry Bonds to get to him.

“With Barry Bonds the best hitter in baseball, it’s a no-brainer that you’re going to walk him when you have an open base,” Kent said.

That’s what Dave Burba did Tuesday night, and Kent made him regret it.

Kent hit a 3-and-2 fastball over the left- field fence for his second grand slam in two weeks and fourth of his career as the San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds, 4-1.

Kent’s eighth homer gave the Giants their third consecutive victory and kept San Francisco on top of the National League West.

Shawn Estes (5-2) pitched 7 1/3 strong innings, giving up one run and five hits, and also erased two runners with pickoff throws. Rod Beck pitched the ninth for his 13th save.

Burba (3-4) gave up seven hits and struck out seven in six innings for the Reds, who lost their third in a row.

The Giants loaded the bases in the second, but Burba got out of the inning by striking out Estes.

Burba wasn’t so fortunate in the third after San Francisco loaded the bases again, on a single by Darryl Hamilton, an error and an intentional walk to Bonds.

The Reds got their run in the eighth on a walk to Bret Boone, a single by Joe Oliver, and an RBI single by Curtis Goodwin off reliever Rich Rodriguez.

Red first baseman Hal Morris, who left Sunday’s game at San Diego because of a strained right shoulder, is expected to sit out the series against the Dodgers and Barry Larkin aggravated an injury to his left heel and left the game in the sixth.

NEXT SERIES FOR DODGERS

WHO:

Cincinnati Reds

WHERE:

Cincinnati

WHEN:

Thursday: 4:30 p.m.

Friday: 4:30 p.m.