Fast Break

Baseball

Bonds passes N.L. HR mark

Barry Bonds hit his 734th career home run Saturday night, breaking Hank Aaron’s National League record in the same city where the Hall of Fame slugger started and ended his major league career, Milwaukee.

The San Francisco Giants star hit a 1-0 pitch from Milwaukee’s Chris Capuano over the right-center fence in the third inning.

Bonds, who hit No. 733 and drove in six runs Friday, is 21 homers shy of Aaron’s career mark of 755. It was Bonds’ 26th HR of the season.

NFL

Branch will take root today

As expected, the Seattle Seahawks activated recently acquired wide receiver Deion Branch and added him to the 53-man roster for the game today against the New York Giants.

To clear a roster spot, the Seahawks released defensive lineman Chris Cooper, who played well during the preseason but was stuck at the bottom of the depth chart.

The NFL gave the Seahawks a two-week roster exemption for the former Super Bowl MVP, acquired on Sept. 11 from the New England Patriots in a trade that ended Branch’s 45-day contract holdout. Branch signed a $39 million, six-year contract two days later.

Coach Mike Holmgren said earlier this week that he will stick with Nate Burleson as the starting split end, but Branch would play. Holmgren was considering more four-receiver sets because of injuries to tight ends Jerramy Stevens and Itula Mili. Darrell Jackson will start at flanker and Bobby Engram is Seattle’s other receiver. Mili will play but is not expected to start.

Cycling

Tour could be just a quick spin

The UCI world cycling federation announced that it would completely review its sports – including a possible shortening of the three-week Tour de France.

Why do that? Critics say the long and intense season that takes cyclists across Europe from France, Italy and Spain drives the athletes toward doping. The announcement by UCI President Pat McQuaid of the comprehensive review comes at the end of a doping-tainted season.