| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A pitcher who makes a mistake to Mark McGwire
usually has a pretty good idea what's going to happen.
| |  | |
| McGwire |
Chris Holt let a pitch get away from him Friday night and McGwire made another entry in the record book.
"It was a fastball in and he turned on it," Holt said after
the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 5-4.
McGwire's major league-leading 29th home run of the year set a
record for career home runs at Busch Stadium. He began the game in
a 1-for-15 rut with eight strikeouts, then connected in the fifth
to cut the Astros' lead to 4-3.
McGwire homered off Holt (3-9) for the third time in 12 at-bats
to give him 551 career home runs, including 104 at Busch Stadium.
Big Mac, who broke Ray Lankford's mark, has played 215 games at
Busch Stadium since being traded to the Cardinals in 1997.
Holt said the home run was predictable.
"When he turns on a ball like that, it's going to end up in the
seats," he said.
McGwire wasn't available after the game and the Cardinals had
other heroes who celebrated the win that put them 15 games over
.500 for the first time since 1987.
Alan Benes, who pitched two scoreless innings in relief for his
second win in six days, said the bullpen kept the game close.
"We know that we have a good chance to win if we keep the score
where it is," Benes said.
Benes and Matt Morris, another starter-turned-reliever, held the
Astros scoreless.
"I get a kick out of watching those guys, they really get into
it," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.
Holt gave up five runs on 11 hits, struck out four and walked
three in 5 1/3 innings to fall to 1-6 on the road this season.
Benes (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings to get the win, and Dave Veres threw two scoreless innings for his 15th save.
After McGwire homered in the fifth to get the Cardinals within
4-3, St. Louis scored twice in the sixth.
Edgar Renteria hit an RBI single, and Jim Edmonds drove in the
go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly after the Cardinals loaded the
bases.
The Astros scored two unearned runs in the fourth with some help
from Cardinals starter Rick Ankiel.
After a leadoff single by Chris Truby, Holt walked after failing
to lay down a bunt. Truby and Holt advanced on Julio Lugo's
sacrifice.
Craig Biggio grounded to third and Truby scored during a rundown
when Ankiel dropped the ball. Holt scored on Jeff Bagwell's
sacrifice fly.
Ankiel gave up four runs on six hits with three walks and five
strikeouts in four innings.
J.D. Drew scored the Cardinals' first run in the first on a
sacrifice fly by Lankford after Drew and Edmonds singled and
McGwire walked, loading the bases.
The Cardinals scored a run in the fourth when Fernando Tatis,
activated Friday after being out since April 29 with a torn groin,
led off with a single and scored two outs later on a single by
Ankiel to make it 4-2.
Houston scored in the fourth on an RBI single by Truby after a
one-out single by Moises Alou and a walk to Lance Berkman.
Truby drove in the Astros' first run in the second with a single
after Alou led off with a single.
Game notes
Houston has lost nine of its last 11, while the Cardinals
have won eight of their last 11. ... Bill Spiers, who has a
nine-game hitting streak, has not played since reaggravating a
strained left hamstring June 25. ... Alou is 11-for-18 (.611) on
the road trip. ... Larry Sutton, sent to Triple-A Memphis when the
Cardinals activated Tatis, had reached base in his last three
pinch-hit appearances. Tatis received a standing ovation when he
batted for the first time. ... Ankiel had two hits Friday to snap a
1-for-18 slump. ... The crowd of 46,262 was the fourth-straight
sellout and the 10th in 40 home games. ... Renteria has 10 hits in
his last 19 at-bats.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
St. Louis Clubhouse
RECAPS
Minnesota 7
Cleveland 2
Tampa Bay 6
NY Yankees 4
Baltimore 8
Toronto 3
Chi. White Sox 10
Boston 4
Detroit 3
Kansas City 1
Texas 13
Seattle 3
Anaheim 7
Oakland 0
Florida 5
Montreal 4
Pittsburgh 8
Philadelphia 3
NY Mets 11
Atlanta 8
Chicago Cubs 7
Milwaukee 4
St. Louis 5
Houston 4
Cincinnati 5
Arizona 4
Colorado 5
San Diego 4
Los Angeles 9
San Francisco 2
|
