With commissioner Bud Selig in attendance, Bonds went hitless in Milwaukee on Friday night and remained two home runs from tying Hank Aaron's record of 755. The San Francisco slugger finished 0-for-4 with a walk during the Giants' 8-4 victory over the Brewers.
The day before, Bonds homered twice at Wrigley Field to reach 753.
While Selig had an easy time getting to the stadium in his home city, he remained noncommittal about whether he will attend games elsewhere _ such as in San Francisco next week _ as Bonds chases Aaron's mark. Selig said he did not speak to Bonds.
"But as far as I'm concerned, you have to use what I call common sense," Selig said. "I thought he's playing here, a game important in the pennant race and I'm here. I'm glad to be here. And I'll be back tomorrow and Sunday."
The Cubs are back in the NL Central race. They won for the 19th time in 24 games Friday, beating the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 behind Aramis Ramirez's homer and four RBIs.
Jacque Jones added a pair of two-out RBI singles for Chicago, which moved within 2 1/2 games of the first-place Brewers _ their slimmest margin since April 28.
"Early on, we were prone to mistakes, more mental than physical mistakes, but we've corrected that real well," winning pitcher Jason Marquis said.
In other NL games, it was: New York 4, Los Angeles 1; Philadelphia 7, San Diego 3; St. Louis 4, Atlanta 2; Houston 2, Pittsburgh 1; Florida 10, Cincinnati 2; and Colorado 3, Washington 1.
Marquis (7-5) allowed four hits over 7 2-3 innings, including Chris Young's 15th homer, to beat Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb and run Chicago's record to 7-1 since the All-Star break.
The Cubs are seven games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 2004 season 89-73.
"Let's ride this as long as we can," manager Lou Piniella said.
Webb (8-8) gave up five hits and three runs _ two earned _ in seven innings. He is 0-3 in four starts since June 27. The Diamondbacks have lost 10 of 13.
At Milwaukee, Bonds started the series opener in the city where Aaron began and ended his career _ and on the 31st anniversary of Aaron's final home run. He hit No. 755 on July 20, 1976, at now-demolished County Stadium.
Bonds was booed lustily by the sellout crowd each time he stepped into the batter's box. The closest he came to a homer was a deep drive to center that was caught in the seventh.
"Any time you have a hitter in the lineup like Barry, you've got to be careful," Brewers starting pitcher Jeff Suppan said. "Basically, they were able to manufacture some runs and drive in some runs."
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he would chat with Bonds before Saturday's afternoon game and decide then whether Bonds will start.
