Giants score four in ninth for Braves' first loss

ATLANTA, Georgia (Reuter) - Barry Bonds hit a game-tying two- run homer as the San Francisco Giants scored four times in the ninth inning to beat Atlanta 7-5 and end the Braves' season- starting win streak at seven on Tuesday.

Charlie O'Brien snapped a 3-3 tie with a two-run single in the fourth and John Smoltz seemed to be on his way to the win before the ninth.

Matt Williams led off the ninth with an infield single and Bonds followed by hitting Smoltz's first pitch over the right- center field fence. Todd Benzinger then singled to send Smoltz to the showers.

Mark Wohlers then came in for the Braves. Royce Clayton sacrificed Benzinger to second and Kirt Manwaring grounded out. John Patterson pinch hit for Steve Frey and doubled in Benzinger to give San Francisco a 6-5 lead. He then scored on a single by Darren Lewis.

"I just wanted to get the bat on the ball," Patterson said of his game-winning hit.

Bonds went 3-for-4 and Dave Martinez doubled in three runs in the fourth to pace San Francisco in the first meeting between the teams since the Braves edged the Giants by one game last season to win the National League West title.

Atlanta has since been moved to the N.L. East in the new three-division alignment.

Red Sox 22, Royals 11

In Kansas City, Scott Cooper hit for the cycle and drove in five runs as the Boston Red Sox pounded the Royals 22-11 on Tuesday in the highest-scoring game in the Kansas City club's history.

Cooper had five hits and completed the first cycle by a Red Sox player in over five years when he singled in the ninth inning off Kansas City shortstop David Howard, who pitched the final two innings and allowed one run.

Cooper, who had just one hit in his last 16 at-bats entering the game, also doubled twice, tripled and hit one of Boston's five home runs. Billy Hatcher, Dave Valle, Mo Vaughn and John Valentin also homered for the Sox.

The last Red Sox player to hit for the cycle was Mike Greenwell, who did it on September 14, 1988 against Baltimore.

"I just wanted to hit the ball," Cooper said of his performance. "I hadn't been hitting the ball. He (Royals starter Kevin Appier) was having trouble getting his forkball over so I could sit on the fastball."

The 33 runs scored in the game topped the 29 scored in Kansas City's 23-6 victory over Minnesota on April 6, 1974. The Red Sox scored 22 runs, the most ever by a Royals' opponent, on 15 hits and benefited from 13 walks and three Kansas City errors. Results American League Chicago 10, New York 5 Boston 22, Kansas City 11 Cleveland 5, California 4 Oakland 8, Toronto 4 Seattle 12, Minnesota 0 National League Houston 7, Florida 2 Cincinnati 7, Montreal 1 Pittsburgh 4, San Diego 2 San Francisco 7, Atlanta 5 Los Angeles 7, St Louis 3