Bonds cutting down on dose of antibiotics to help infected knee

SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds hopes he’s close to decreasing his daily dose of antibiotics to a single pill.

Bonds will have a routine blood test today to make sure the San Francisco slugger is progressing from the antibiotics he’s taking to control the infection in his surgically repaired right knee.

“My leg is good. It’s getting better,” he told The Associated Press on Thursday, giving a thumbs-up sign and a grin. “I will have my blood tested tomorrow. It’s the test I have every two weeks.”

Bonds is still taking a number of pills each day — “I can’t even count,” he said — to attack the infection in his troublesome knee after undergoing three operations since Jan. 31.

His optimism is especially noteworthy considering how serious the infection could have been.

Bonds wouldn’t confirm an ESPN.com report that he was among several Giants players given an unannounced drug test by the league Wednesday.

“It doesn’t matter unless it’s positive, and you’ll know (if it is),” he said with a smile.

The 40-year-old Bonds walked up the stairs to the clubhouse with few signs of a limp, even carrying a bat — though he didn’t use it.

His rehabilitation recently has included regaining range of motion in his knee through light resistance exercises. His latest arthroscopic operation was May 2 to drain fluid from the knee.