Pitcher of Record

Repeatedly in the days leading up to the event, the younger Bacsik invoked the name of Al Downing, the man who allowed Aaron?s 715th homer, the one that broke Ruth's mark. He did so again late Tuesday night.

"He won 20 games and was an all-star," Bacsik said. "So now my next goal is to win 20 games and be an all-star like Al Downing."

For two at-bats, Bacsik avoided Downing's fate. In the second inning of a scoreless game, Bonds was the first man up. After working him to a full count -- which included a popup in foul territory that might have been tracked down by second baseman Ronnie Belliard -- Bonds drilled a double.

That led to a two-run inning for the Giants, though by the time he batted again in the third, two homers for the Nationals -- a solo shot from Lopez and a two-run blast from Austin Kearns -- Washington led, 3-2. This time, Bonds saw just two pitches, a curveball that was in for a strike, and a fastball he poked into center for a single. That hit was followed by Bengie Molina's two-run homer to left, and Bacsik trailed 4-3.

Yet the score seemed insignificant to everyone in the crowd. It hardly mattered that Brian Schneider's homer tied it for Washington in the fourth.

When Bonds came up in the fifth, Bacsik was faced with the same obstacles every pitcher had faced in Bonds's recent home at-bats -- flashes, a crowd standing in anticipation. He fell behind 2-0, came with a fastball for a strike, and Bonds then fouled off the 2-1 pitch. After Bacsik missed with a breaking ball, Bonds hit a chopper down the first base line, one fielded by first baseman Dmitri Young. He might have been out. But umpire Wally Bell ruled it foul by a fraction, and Bonds had another pitch to see from Bacsik.

It was the one Bonds needed. After the homer, Bacsik walked off the mound, stood in the infield, then strode to the dugout for a 10-minute break, allowing Bonds to soak up the adulation and speak to an adoring crowd. Several Nationals eventually clapped. Schneider took a knee and stayed on the field, "the best seat in the house," he said.

"I'm real happy we won for the team, but as far as excitement, that was unbelievable," Lopez said. "I had goosebumps. It was awesome."

After the ceremony, Bacsik retook the mound and retired Molina, then Ray Durham on a pop-up that he caught himself.

And as Bacsik headed back to the dugout on the first base line, Bonds emerged from the opposite dugout and strode slowly to his spot in left field, television cameras trailing all the way. One night 31 years ago, one Mike Bacsik held Hank Aaron at 755. Tuesday night, his son couldn't hold Barry Bonds at the same number, so there is a new home run champion -- and a new pitcher linked to him.