The Associated Press

MIAMI - Florida Marlins All-Star third baseman Mike Lowell will miss the rest of the regular season after breaking his left hand Saturday night, an injury that could cripple the team's chances of staying atop the NL wild-card race.

Florida's cleanup hitter and clubhouse leader broke a bone in his hand when he was hit by a fastball from Montreal reliever Hector Almonte in the eighth inning. Lowell dropped to the ground in pain and was holding his wrist and hand as trainers escorted him off the field. X-rays revealed the break.

"It's a tough blow, but this is a good ballclub," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "I think these guys will pick up the slack for Mike, battle the rest of the way and hope he's back for the playoffs."

BONDS RETURN: Barry Bonds rejoined the San Francisco Giants on Saturday and homered in his second at-bat against Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks after missing six games following the death of his father.

Bobby Bonds died Aug. 23 at age 57 after being ill for nearly a year with lung cancer and a brain tumor.

Batting fourth and playing left field, Bonds reached on an infield single in the first, then led off the fourth with a 403-foot homer into the right-field bleachers.

"I didn't even ask him. I just put him in the lineup," said Giants manager Felipe Alou, who met with Bonds privately before the game. "We were talking about other stuff, not even about the lineup. He told me he watched every game."

Bonds' 40th home run gave him the major-league lead. It was the 653rd of his career, moving him within seven of his godfather, Willie Mays, for third place on the all-time list.

After crossing home plate, Bonds looked up toward the closed roof for a few moments longer than usual. Minutes later, as he left the Giants' first-base dugout to jog to left field, Bonds briefly pulled his cap low on his forehead and wiped his eyes.

Bonds has seven career 40-homer seasons, one shy of Hank Aaron's NL record and four behind Babe Ruth's major-league mark.

The Giants, who came in leading the NL West by 10 1/2 games over Arizona, went 3-3 without Bonds.

"It's the level of confidence of this group of men, but their hopes are so much higher when he's here," Alou said.

To make room for Bonds, the Giants placed pitcher Dustin Hermanson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 24, with a strained back muscle.

TIGERS SAY NO TO PHIL: Phil Mickelson won't be trading in his pitching wedge for the pitcher's mound this weekend. The Detroit Tigers said the team will not offer a minor-league contract to the PGA Tour golfer. Mickelson threw batting practice Friday to 18 players, most of them pitchers, for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.

"We appreciate his competitive efforts and also appreciate the first-class manner in which he has handled himself," Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila said of Mickelson in a statement Saturday.

SHORT HOPS: Sammy Sosa's 500th homer baseball sold for $44,823 on Saturday, the highest of eight bids placed through an auction house.

A college student caught the ball at Great American Ball Park and decided to sell it.

• Backup catcher Ramon Castro rejoined the Florida Marlins and declared his innocence Saturday, two days after he was arrested and charged with raping a woman in his hotel room.

"I just want to say I apologize to the team, the organization, especially my teammates and my family," he said. "And that's all I have to say. And I'm innocent."