Barry Bonds gets a hug from Barry Larkin. (Jeff Swinger photos) | ZOOM |

        Barry Bonds received a slugger's tribute Friday night at Cinergy Field: no lines at the concession stands when he came to bat, and many fans wearing gloves in the right-field seats.

        “Hey, Bonds is up!” said Tim Montgomery, 44, of Rabbit Hash to his buddy, Chuck Knapmeyer, 47, of Erlanger, just after they walked into the park.

        They stood and watched, while the peppers and onions sizzled and a beer man hawked Budweiser in Section 256. Nobody was buying. Bonds was up.

        Reds fans booed heartily as Bonds stepped to the plate, then booed more when Reds starter Elmer Dessens threw a pitch that hit Bonds in the foot. The concession line was five deep by the time the Reds came to bat.

        “No way anybody wants to miss that guy hit,” said Scott Six, a 22-year-old student at Indiana University, armed with a mettwurst smothered in sauerkraut and ketchup. “He's amazing.”

Bonds walks away from the plate after getting hit in the foot. | ZOOM |

        The presence of the San Francisco Giants' Bonds, who hit a record 73 homers last year, helped attract a Friday night “walk-up” of 6,800 fans, part of the near-30,000 crowd. But Reds pitchers gave Bonds few chances to hit. He walked three times besides being hit by a pitch and grounded out.

        “Hey, here he comes,” said 7-year-old Gunner Pollitt, of Sardinia, as he climbed over the empty right-field green seat in front of him to get a row closer.

        He braced himself on the seat-back with his hand as he held his Wilson “Easy Catch” soft-leather glove up in the air. He was here with brother Fletcher, 16 weeks (first Reds' game).

        “Aw!” groaned Gunner as he watched Bonds ground out to second base in his second at-bat.

Friday stories:
Rijo has idea how to stop Bonds
Griffey, Bonds rivals, friends

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