SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- It might have been the first time a homer went "kerplunk!"

Barry Bonds hit a ball into San Francisco Bay for the first splashdown homer at Pacific Bell Park, helping the Giants beat the New York Mets 10-3 Monday night.

Bonds watery three-run shot tied Jermaine Dye of Kansas City for the major league lead with 11 homers as the Giants won for just the second time in nine games at their new ballpark.

"It's cool," said the Giants' Calvin Murray, who was on second when Bonds' connected and put the ball into McCovey Cove 418 feet away.

"All we've been hearing is that there have been no splash hits and we haven't been scoring many runs. So it was nice that Barry hit it into the water and really nice that we got the win."

The Giants slugger wasn't able to stick around and talk about his homer. He was sent home by team trainer Stan Conte immediately after the game because of a sinus condition.

Bonds drove the first pitch from New York's Rich Rodriguez over the right-field wall and into the cove where it was quickly fished out with a net by Joseph Figone, a member of the grounds crew at the Giants' old ballpark on Candlestick Point.

"I've been making it to every game we've had out here this season and the exhibition season," Figone said. "I finally got it."

Figone was cruising the cove in a raft and was in the right place at the right time, beating a second boater to the ball.

"We finally got a splash hit and almost caused a collision out there," San Francisco manager Dusty Baker said. "It was great to see our offense come alive like that but the main thing is not the score but that we won."

Baker said the Giants also got a charge from the crowd, which erupted when the ball sailed into the bay and brought Bonds out for a bow.

Figone plans to add the ball to his memorabilia collection, but would listen to big-money offers to sell.

"I'm not stupid," he said.

The Giants celebrated the milestone by shooting off water cannons over the right-field wall and putting up the number one on a scoreboard designating splashdowns in the bay.

In an exhibition game against the Yankees, Bonds hit a ball that bounced off the pier-side walkway and into the bay.

Shawn Estes went seven-plus innings for his first win of the season and Jeff Kent homered, doubled and scored three times in a game that was marked by a spectacular catch by New York center fielder Jay Payton and a brief tempest that emptied both benches.

Payton made a leaping catch at the wall, taking the ball away from a fan and a home run away from Bill Mueller, who stopped at second and put his hands on his hips in disbelief.

"One of the best plays I've ever seen," Baker said.

Estes (1-1), who was fighting a cold, allowed three runs on six hits, including Todd Zeile's seventh-inning homer, while striking out two and walking five.

New York starter Bill Pulsipher (0-1), recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Norfolk, had a rough outing. He lasted 3 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on three hits and four walks. He struck out three.

Both dugouts emptied when J.T. Snow upended Mets catcher Todd Pratt sliding into home in the Giants' three-run fourth. Snow and Pratt exchanged words and players from both sides ran onto the field but no blows were thrown and order was quickly restored.

Pratt was sore after the collision but walked it off and stayed in the game, a relief to manager Bobby Valentine. Catcher Mike Piazza was not available because of a wrist injury and catcher Vance Wilson had been sent down to Norfolk to make room for Pulsipher.

"I was very concerned when I saw that," Valentine said. "I went out on a limb and talked (general manager) Steve Phillips into going with only one catcher and it almost backfired."

Kent homered in the second, a solo shot for the Giants first run and they led 4-0 in the fourth as Rich Aurilia singled home a run and Bobby Estalella added a two-run single.

In the fifth, Felipe Crespo, starting for the first time this season, had a run-scoring single and another run scored on an error by left fielder Rickey Henderson.

"It was just one of those days," Henderson said. "We didn't attack (Estes) well."

Game notes
Six of Bonds' nine hits at Pac Bell Park have been home runs. He has also has reached base via hit or walk in 22 of 24 games. ... Piazza missed a third straight game since bruising his right wrist at Colorado on Friday. He remains day-to-day. ... San Francisco has homered in 20 of 24 games. ... The Mets came into the game on an offensive high, having collected 38 hits in their two previous games, the second-highest output in that span in club history.