MLB Wire Notes | Bonds' historic home-run ball auctioned for $752,467

SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home-run ball was auctioned Saturday for $752,467, well more than the estimates by memorabilia experts.

Home run No. 755, the ball that tied the record, went for $186,750, according to Sotheby's/SCP Auctions.

Bonds broke Hank Aaron's record of 755 with a shot into the right-center-field seats Aug. 7 off Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik in San Francisco.

Matt Murphy, 21, from New York, emerged from a scuffle with the record-breaking ball after paying $100 for a $12 ticket during a layover on his way to Australia.

Experts had predicted the ball that tied Aaron's homer record would fetch about $200,000 and the record-breaker would be sold for least $500,000.

The buyers weren't identified.

While the price for No. 756 exceeded expectations, the ball did not come close to the $3 million that was paid for St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire's season home-run-record ball in 1998.

Most memorabilia experts believe Bonds' last career home run, which will set the new record, will garner more than $1 million.

Bonds left San Francisco's game against San Diego in the third inning Saturday night because of a strained right big toe.

Notes

• Baltimore Orioles closer Danys Baez has a partial tear in his right elbow and likely will miss the rest of the season. Baez, 30, will decide between surgery or rehabbing the injury after seeking more medical advice. Baez took over as Baltimore's closer Aug. 17 after Chris Ray had Tommy John elbow surgery. Ray is expected to miss the 2008 season.

• RHP Roger Clemens will start tonight in the series finale against the Boston Red Sox, Yankees manager Joe Torre confirmed. Clemens had been scheduled to make the start against Curt Schilling, though a blister on Clemens' foot and ligament damage to his right elbow has kept him out of the rotation since Sept. 3.

• Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis left Saturday's game against the Yankees with a bruised right wrist after Chien-Ming Wang hit him with a pitch. Youkilis crumpled to the ground in pain. X-rays showed no damage.

• RHP Orlando Hernandez's sore right foot is still bothering him, and the New York Mets may decide to skip his turn in the rotation.