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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Home plate umpire Kerwin Danley didn't last past
the fourth inning. The bleachers emptied as the game progressed as
the fans sought shade. Even Sammy Sosa thought it was hot.
"I never complain," Sosa said, "but it was one of those days
when it was really, really too much."
|  | | Sammy Sosa slams his majors-leading 38th homer Tuesday, but St. Louis survived in the heat at Wrigley. |
Garrett Stephenson shrugged off the heat and Sosa's major
league-leading 38th home run Tuesday to become the second St. Louis
pitcher to reach 13 wins as the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs
4-2.
Sosa hit a a solo shot in the first inning off Stephenson for
his second homer in as many games.
"A solo homer's a solo homer. It's one run," Stephenson said.
"You don't want a guy like him or somebody else like him to put up
a big inning and we were able to avoid that today."
Mike Matheny matched a career-high with three hits, including an
RBI single, to lead the Cardinals to their fourth win in the last
six games.
The gametime temperature at Wrigley Field was 91 degrees and the
humidity was 97 percent.
"We just take care of our business," Cardinals manager Tony La
Russa said. "The idea is to keep pushing and don't worry about
anybody else. It's kind of corny but that's exactly what we have to
do. Our formula is to try to win the series we're playing. It's
that simple."
Stephenson (13-7) joined teammate Darryl Kile as he became the
sixth NL pitcher to win at least 13 games. Stephenson gave up two
runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings, striking out
seven.
"It was hot today, kind of hard to get your breath,"
Stephenson said. "Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it."
Matt Morris relieved Stephenson. He gave up a one-out single
and, then after the second out, Dave Veres came in to record his
20th save in 25 chances, but only his second in three opportunities
since the All-Star Game break.
Jamie Arnold (0-1) gave up three runs on six hits and two walks
over three innings in his Cubs debut, which was his fourth big
league start.
"I can't blame it on anything except myself being a little
wild," Arnold said. "I don't believe I was trying to do too
much."
Arnold became the 11th different pitcher to start for the Cubs
this season. The Cardinals, on the other hand, have used the same
five starters all year.
Danley left after four innings, overcome by the heat.
"I knew the umpire was going to have a long day. He didn't get
much of a break between innings," Matheny said. "I thought it
might be rough."
"You can always combat cold by wearing more layers," Chicago
first baseman Mark Grace said. "I've had worse (heat), but I was
younger then. I'm gassed."
Tempers were short, too. Cardinals second baseman Fernando Vina
was ejected after arguing a called third strike in the third. Cubs
manager Don Baylor was tossed in the seventh after arguing a called
third strike against Gary Matthews Jr. by substitute plate ump Mike
DiMuro.
"I know it's warm out there but some of those pitches were
impossible to hit," Baylor said of the calls. "I didn't swear at
him. I guess the heat got to him, too."
With two on and one out in the Cardinals first, Arnold walked
Will Clark to load the bases and then hit Fernando Tatis to force
in a run. Ray Lankford's sacrifice fly made it 2-0.
Sosa answered in the bottom half with a drive over the
left-field bleachers onto Waveland Avenue.
Matheny hit a run-scoring single with one out in the Cardinals
third to go ahead 3-1.
With two out and two on in the third, Grace hit an RBI single to
move the Cubs to within 3-2.
Todd Van Poppel walked Lankford to start the Cardinals seventh.
Kyle Farnsworth came on and gave up an RBI double to Edgar Renteria
to make it 4-2. Renteria was then tagged out on a botched suicide
squeeze attempt by Matheny.
Game notes
Arnold was acquired from the Dodgers in the deal for
pitcher Ismael Valdes on July 26. Arnold was 2-1 in three starts
for Triple-A Iowa. ... Sosa moved into a tie with Rocky Colavito
for 47th all-time with 374 home runs. Next up is Carlton Fisk with
376. ... The Cardinals did not homer for the fifth straight game, a
season-high. ... St. Louis' Jim Edmonds singled in the first to end
his hitless streak at 16 at-bats over four games.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
Chicago Cubs Clubhouse
RECAPS
Tampa Bay 3
Boston 1
Anaheim 8
Toronto 4
Chi. White Sox 14
Baltimore 4
Minnesota 6
Kansas City 2
NY Yankees 10
Texas 2
Oakland 5
Cleveland 3
Detroit 9
Seattle 0
St. Louis 4
Chicago Cubs 2
NY Mets 7
Colorado 5
NY Mets 4
Colorado 3
(2nd game)
Florida 7
Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 9
Montreal 7
Arizona 11
Philadelphia 6
Atlanta 3
San Diego 1
Houston 5
Pittsburgh 4
Milwaukee 2
Cincinnati 1
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