Giants Take 3-2 Lead Over Angels

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Teased and taunted for tiptoeing around Barry Bonds, the Anaheim Angels decided to challenge him. Whack! Bonds lined an RBI double that sent the San Francisco Giants

Friday, October 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Teased and taunted for tiptoeing around Barry Bonds, the Anaheim Angels decided to challenge him.

Whack!

Bonds lined an RBI double that sent the San Francisco Giants zooming to a big lead that not even these pesky Angels could overcome, winning 16-4 in Game 5 Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the World Series.

Jeff Kent sealed it with a pair of two-run homers, starting the party in full force at Pac Bell Park and putting the Giants on the brink of their first World Series title since Willie Mays & Co. won it for New York in 1954.

Rich Aurilia's three-run homer in the eighth gave the Giants the most runs by a team in a Series game since the New York Yankees walloped Pittsburgh 16-3 in 1960. It was the 17th homer overall by the Angels and San Francisco, tying a Series record, and set off a fog horn blast and shots from water cannons on top of the right-field wall.

Once again, it took only one big swing by Bonds _ Mays' godson _ to swing the momentum in this Series. But, really, the Angels were caught in a lose-lose squeeze from the start.

They pitched to Bonds in the first inning, and the Giants got three runs. They intentionally walked him in the second, and San Francisco scored three more.

Halloween was still a week away, but the big guy in orange and black had plenty of tricks and few treats for Anaheim.

Now, Russ Ortiz will try to clinch San Francisco's first crown when he starts Game 6 Saturday night at Edison Field against Kevin Appier. Both made early exits in Game 2, an 11-10 win by the Angels.

A sellout crowd of 42,713, tense when the Angels climbed back from a 6-0 deficit and brought the tying run to the plate in the middle innings, erupted when Kent connected in the sixth and again in the seventh.

``We never give in. We started ahead right away but these guys never give up, either,'' said Benito Santiago, who drove in three runs for the Giants.

Bonds added another double and a single and Kenny Lofton sprinkled in a two-run triple as the Giants pulled away to delirious chants of ``Beat L.A! Beat L.A.!'' The fans' geography may have been a bit off, but their math was right on.

Everyone got in on the act, too. Several bat boys, sons of Giants, kept running to the plate to retrieve lumber, turning Pac Bell into the country's coolest day care center.

All in all, it was a dramatic turnaround in the Series. Just a few days ago, with Anaheim's hitters going wild, some thought they would run away with the title. But by the time this one ended, it was the Giants who had the Angels on the run.

Chad Zerbe got the win, relieving when Jason Schmidt was pulled in the fifth, one out short of qualifying for his second win of the Series. Schmidt struck out eight, yet Giants manager Dusty Baker took no chances after Troy Glaus' RBI double made it 6-3.

Jarrod Washburn, who lost to Schmidt in the opener, absorbed another defeat.

At least Washburn gave the fans at the park _ and everywhere else, no doubt _ what they wanted to see.

After Bonds drew nine walks, five of them intentional, in the first four games, he at last got something to hit. And the Giants slugger did not miss.

Friendly, respectful rivals for four games, the teams turned edgy for Game 5.

After giving up two homers to Glaus in the opener, Schmidt spun him to the dirt with a 97 mph fastball in the first inning. Glaus got up, struck out with runners at the corners for the third out and flung his bat toward the dugout.

Then it was the Giants' turn to threaten. Unlike the Angels, they cashed in.

Lofton led off with a single and Washburn made his first critical mistake, walking Kent on a full count with one out.

Up stepped Bonds and just like in Game 1, when he gave up a home run to the slugger, Washburn decided to pitch to him.

Bad choice.

The count went to 2-1 and Washburn backed off the mound, taking a moment to compose himself as the crowd chanted, ``Barry! Barry!'' When Washburn left his next pitch out over the plate, Bonds lined an RBI double that rolled to the wall in right field, and the rout was on.

Bonds even let out a rare smile, and playfully whacked Angels shortstop David Eckstein on the backside.

``Yeah, I believe he's having fun,'' Baker said about the slugger before the game. ``Hard not to have fun when you're hitting balls halfway to the moon.''

Santiago followed with a sacrifice fly and Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia played the percentages, intentionally walking Reggie Sanders. But Washburn couldn't take advantage of the lefty vs. lefty matchup and walked J.T. Snow to load the bases, prompting a visit from pitching coach Bud Black.

That didn't help as Washburn also walked Game 4 star David Bell to force home another run that made it 3-0.

San Francisco kept pouring it on in the second after another leadoff single by Lofton. Center fielder Darin Erstad made his second outstanding catch to rob Aurilia, yet that only delayed what was coming.

Kent doubled off the right-field wall and the Angels took no chances with Bonds this time, throwing four wide ones while Giants fans razzed Washburn by waving rubber chickens.

Santiago spoiled the strategy with a two-run single. That made the MVP of the NL championship series 6-for-11 with nine RBIs in the postseason when he bats after an intentional walk to Bonds _ that includes the two double plays he bounced into with the bases loaded in Game 4.

Only then did the Angels start warming up someone in the bullpen, and as Scot Shields got loose, Sanders hit a sacrifice fly for a 6-0 lead.