The mound can be a lonely place, but when you're a sinkerball pitcher and your sinkerball has deserted you and the score's 3-3 in the 11th inning and Barry Bonds is at the plate, you're down at the end of Lonely Street. You're at Heartbreak Hotel.

Danny Graves gave up 11th-inning HRs to Barry Bonds, Andres Galarraga (here) and Marvin Benard. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds' Danny Graves knows all about it. He had been entrusted with a 3-3 tie going into the 10th inning the Reds had come back from a 3-0 deficit to the mighty San Francisco Giants — but after luckily getting out of the 10th following a leadoff walk, he didn't want to tempt fate in the 11th.

        Even if it was Bonds at the plate.

        He of the 47 home runs in 112 games.

        “They always say there's one guy on every team you don't want to beat you and Bonds is definitely that guy,” Graves said, “but when he's lead ing off the inning, what are you gonna do? Stand up and walk him? No. I'm going to go after people.”

        Crash.

        Bonds crushed a 1-1 pitch from Graves just to the right of the Black Monster center-field wall at Cinergy Field for his 48th home run of the season, and the Giants beat the Reds 9-3 before 23,588 fans Tuesday night.

        Bonds' blast made it 4-3. After Jeff Kent tripled, Andres Galarraga and Marvin Benard each homered to right to make it 7-3. The Reds came apart after that. Errors by Dmitri Young and Aaron

Lance Davis gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 7 innings. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Boone helped the Giants push two more runs across.

        Bonds' 48th homer was a line drive that came in only the Giants' 113th game — making him the fastest to do it. Babe Ruth hit 48 in No. 114 in 1921.

        He also achieved a Reds' killer plateau: most home runs by an opposing player at Riverfront/Cinergy: 30.

        Graves said he threw Bonds three fastballs, which are his sinkers. One was a ball, one Bonds fouled off and the one he hit out.

        Graves was pitching two innings for the second straight time, but he wouldn't make excuses.

        “If I wasn't available to pitch the second inning, I'd have said so,” Graves noted. “Gully (Reds pitching coach Don Gullett) asked me how I was and I said, "Fine.' I felt great (physically), but I had no sink at all.

        “I was trying everything to get the ball to sink and it wasn't sinking,” Graves said. “If I can't get the ball to sink, then I'm in trouble. I'm surprised I didn't give up even more (runs).”

Sean Casey has to leap for a throw. Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Graves had opened the 10th inning by walking Ramon Martinez, but disproved the adage that a leadoff walk will come back to haunt you.

        John Vander Wal sacrificed Martinez to second, but Graves struck out Calvin Murray and got Aurilia to fly out to center.

        “They did me a favor by having Vander Wal bunt,” Graves said. “I was able to get in on Aurilia just a little bit to get him to pop up. The ball I threw that sank is the one that struck out Murray.”

        He said his problem probably stems from the angle of his arm, which would change the position of his hand, and thus negate the sinking action.

        “I know one thing: hopefully I'll never ever pitch on my birthday again.”

        The Reds squandered a good outing by starting pitcher Lance Davis.

        He mixed his pitches effectively, hit his location and generally kept the vaunted Giants hitters off-balance most of the night. He gave up only two earned runs in seven innings. He left the game trailing 3-2, but did not get the decision because the Reds tied the game at 3 in the bottom of the seventh.

        Reds catcher Jason LaRue threw out two more baserunners Tuesday night, one of them to end a on one on-two out threat in the eighth inning. He has thrown out the last eight would-be basestealers.

        The Reds blew a good chance in the 10th. Following singles by Guerrero and Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr. grounded into a double play and Sean Casey struck out. It proved to be the Reds' last chance.

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