FUKUOKA, Japan -- Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants singled home the tying run in the eighth inning as a touring major league all-star team tied 2-2 with Japan in nine innings Tuesday.

It was the first tie against two victories and one loss for the all-stars in the eight-game series.

Under series rules, the game was limited to nine innings.

The all-stars took a 1-0 lead in the third when Sandy Alomar of the Cleveland Indians singled home a run off Tomohiro Kuroki of the Chiba Lotte Marines before 38,000 fans at the Fukuoka Dome.

With the bases loaded and none out in the third, Kuroki struck out Luis Gonzalez of the Arizona Diamondbacks and retired Bonds and Carlos Delgado of the Toronto Blue Jays on fly balls.

Kuroki, 10-12 with a 5.18 ERA this year, limited the all-stars to three hits and struck out eight in five innings.

Japan tied the score 1-1 in the fourth on an infield hit by Tomoaki Kanemoto of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp off Mike Remlinger of the Atlanta Braves, after two walks.

Japan took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Toshihisa Nishi of the Japan Series champion Yomiuri Giants doubled home a run off Remlinger.

In the eighth, pinch hitter Jay Payton of the New York Mets tripled and scored on Bonds' single off Kenichi Wakatabe of the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks.

Game 5 is Wednesday at the Osaka Dome.