Another first for Big Mac
McGwire K's 4 times for first time this season; Cardinals win 7-4
Posted: Sunday September 20, 1998 12:39 AM
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Punch out: McGwire struck out a season-high four times, bringing his season total to 149 AP |
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Mark McGwire's
only shot Saturday night was the one he took in his ribs.
McGwire was 0-for-4 in the St. Louis Cardinals'
7-4 win over Milwaukee, striking out four times and getting hit by a pitch.
"Sometimes, you stink," McGwire said. "And I stunk tonight. These do
happen. The theme is, I stunk."
McGwire, who struck out four times in a game for the first time this
season, remained at 64 homers, one ahead of Chicago's Sammy Sosa.
McGwire has left the plate without making contact 311 times this season: an
NL-record 156 walks, 149 strikeouts and six times when he was hit by a
pitch.
"Probably the last two at-bats were about the ugliest he's had all year,"
manager Tony La Russa said. "It just goes to show you he's a man, not a
machine."
Brewers catcher Bobby Hughes said McGwire might have been a little
anxious.
"He's going to have those days," Hughes said. "He really got himself out
more times than we got him out."
A sellout crowd of 54,132, the largest at County Stadium in six seasons,
saw an impressive long-ball display in batting practice, when McGwire hit
nine homers in 18 swings.
Two of his BP homers cleared the left-field bleachers, drives estimated
at 480 feet or so. At one point he sent five in a row into the seats.
The ball gets revenge: McGwire was hit by a pitch for the sixth time this season AP | |
Sosa had a similar game in the Cubs' 7-2 loss to Cincinnati. Sosa failed
to homer for the third straight game, going 0-for-4 while striking out
three times and grounding into a game-ending double play.
McGwire was plunked in the ribs by Steve Woodard (10-12) in the first,
right after Brian Jordan
hit his 24th homer. He took a called third strike on a 2-2 breaking ball to
start the third, chased a breaking ball well out of the zone in the fifth,
then struck out swinging in the sixth and the ninth.
McGwire wasn't hurt when he was hit by a pitch. The Brewers said they
weren't trying to brush him back.
"Steve has a ball that runs and that one really took off," said Mike Matheny,
Milwaukee's starting catcher. "I have as much respect for him as anyone in
the game."
On Sunday, McGwire will face Scott Karl in the
series finale. McGwire is 5-for-18 for his career against Karl with nine
walks, and this year he has a double, five walks and three strikeouts in 11
at-bats.
Jordan had three hits and two RBIs, Fernando Tatis hit his seventh homer
and pinch-hitter John Mabry had a
two-run double to put the Cardinals ahead 5-4 in the fifth. Delino
DeShields had a run-scoring single and Jordan had an RBI single in the
sixth.
Jose Jimenez (2-0) has won both of his career starts. He allowed four
runs -- three earned -- and eight hits in five innings. Juan Acevedo
finished for his 12th save.
Woodard gave up seven runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings with nine
strikeouts. He got his fourth RBI of the year with a single in the Brewers'
three-run second.
Mike Matheny and Fernando Vina
also drove in runs in the second, and Jeremy Burnitz had a sacrifice fly in
the fifth.
Notes: McGwire has 14 fewer strikeouts than Sosa, the major league
leader. ... Mabry is 8-for-23 as a pinch-hitter with two homers and eight
RBIs. ... The Cardinals have won six of seven and are 13-5 in September to
move a game above .500. They're also 7-3 against the Brewers. ... Milwaukee
has won only five of its last 12 home games. ... Woodard is 1-7 in his last
10 starts. ... The crowd, the ninth-largest in Brewers history, was the
largest since 54,987 showed up September 27, 1992, when books commemorating
Robin Yount's 3,000th hit were distributed. ... Acevedo has eight saves and
two victories in his last 12 appearances, covering 14 scoreless innings.
... Mabry pinch hit for J.D. Drew, who aggravated a back injury playing the
outfield. Drew also sat out Wednesday and Friday because of back stiffness
and probably won't play Sunday.
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