Barry Bonds smacked a home run in the second inning of the San Francisco Giants' game against the Oakland A's Saturday to move into a tie with the legendary Babe Ruth for second place on baseball's all-time home run list.

Bonds's historic homer, his 714th, came off Oakland pitcher Brad Halsey. It was his first home run since May 7.

Barry Bonds clubbed his 714th career home run on Saturday. (Associated Press/Eric Risberg)

The San Francisco slugger embraced his son Nikolai, a Giants bat boy, at home plate before being mobbed by his teammates outside the visiting dugout.

"This is a great accomplishment because of Babe Ruth and what he brought to the game of baseball and his legacy in the game of baseball," said a joyous Bonds.

"This and a World Series ring to me would be the ultimate. He changed the game of baseball...it's just great to be in the same class."

The Oakland crowd gave Bonds a warmer reception than he's received at other road ballparks during his pursuit of home run No. 714. Many fans stood and applauded while Bonds jogged around the bases and continued cheering while he doffed his batting helmet.

"This took a lot off me. It's good," Bonds said. "A lot of relief. Well, until something else comes up."

Athletics fan Tyler Snyder caught the historic home run as he snared it cleanly with his glove. The fans surrounding the 19-year-old Snyder cheered passionately and, unlike other momentous occasions, no one attempted to steal the ball.

While Snyder was enjoying the moment, he didn't appreciate the accomplishment of the man who hit the home run.

"I hate that guy," Snyder told reporters before he was whisked away. "I don't really care for the guy."

The wait was longer than Bonds anticipated as he ended a nine-game homer drought that wasn't lost on his peers.

"He finally hit it? It's about time," joked Ken Griffey Jr. "Now I don't have to keep watching TV to see him do it."

Bonds is the most prolific slugger of this generation with a .299 batting average, 1,867 runs batted in and 2,099 runs scored in 2,764 games over 21 MLB seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Giants.

The 41-year-old has won seven National League Most Valuable Player Awards, a dozen Silver Slugger Awards and eight Gold Glove Awards.

But each of Bonds's accomplishments is shrouded in a cloud of suspicion because he is suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"The bottom line is, if Barry used alternative means that some other guys have used to prolong their careers and keep their skills, then that's an issue and it's a question that's going to be tough to answer," said Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia. 

"There's no proof he did, and until there is or until something breaks that changes that, it's obviously going to be debated on both sides."

A federal grand jury in San Francisco is looking into whether Bonds committed perjury in sworn testimony regarding an alleged steroid ring involving Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative and Greg Anderson, his personal trainer.

Bonds has denied knowingly using steroids.

"I still remember Barry Bonds as a great player, regardless of steroids or what," said New York Yankees manager Joe Torre. 

"How many home runs would he have hit without whatever people are saying is going on? I don't know. I know one thing: That player-wise, he's pretty good."

Hank Aaron is baseball's career home run king. He clubbed a record 755 homers from 1954-1976.

With files from Associated Press