SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge has granted prosecutors’ request to dismiss one of the charges against Barry Bonds in his federal trial for allegedly lying to a grand jury.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston approved the request Wednesday morning, which prosecutors made after it became clear the judge was going to rule that they failed to prove a count that charged the home run king with lying when he denied his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, induced him “to take anything before the 2003 season.”

Prosecutors argued that charge meant that Bonds would be guilty to have knowingly taken any steroid prior to 2003. But the judge disagreed, ruling that the charge alleged Bonds willfully used designer steroids dubbed “the cream” or “the clear” before the 2003.

Bonds admitted inadvertently taking designer steroids in 2003, but denied any use before then.

The jury will now consider four charges against Bonds. Two accuse him of lying about knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs, a third charges him with lying about being injected by anyone, but his doctors and the last is a catchall obstruction charge.

The owner of the major league mark for home runs in a season and a career has pleaded not guilty to three charges of lying to a grand jury in 2003, when he denied knowingly using steroids and human growth hormone. He’s also charged with one count of lying to the grand jury when he told it no one other than his doctor ever injected him with anything and another catchall charge of obstruction.