Make that 65
McGwire tees off again, just misses No. 66
Posted: Sunday September 20, 1998 04:29 PM
| |
McGwire now has 89 homers, 180 RBIs and 199 walks in 200 career games with the Cardinals AP |
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Mark McGwire
hit his major league record 65th home run Sunday, then had an apparent No.
66 taken away by an umpire's ruling in the St. Louis Cardinals'
game against Milwaukee.
McGwire pulled two ahead of Sammy Sosa with a
first-inning shot off Milwaukee left-hander Scott Karl.
Everybody but second-base umpire Bob Davidson thought McGwire had No.
66 in the fifth inning, when he sent a line drive deep to left-center field
off rookie Rod Henderson.
But Davidson ruled that a fan had interfered by reaching over the
yellow railing at the 392-foot sign and pulling the ball in. McGwire was
forced to stop at second with a double -- he rounded the bag, looking for a
signal -- as the crowd jeered and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa protested
briefly. TV replays were inconclusive.
The yellow pipe was installed about 18 inches above the outfield wall
padding after the 1982 World Series, when a fan reached down and snatched a
ball from Ben Oglivie's grasp.
It has been the source of several disputes since, mostly because
there's a chain-link fence between the padding and the yellow rail, making
it difficult for umpires to tell for certain whether a ball clears the
rail, hits right in front of it and bounces over, or even if a fan reaches
over.
McGwire, who struck out four times Saturday night, took a curtain call
after giving St. Louis a 2-0 lead. His 423-foot homer in the first followed
a single by Fernando Tatis.
Although most of his teammates took regular batting practice, McGwire
hit in the batting cage beneath County Stadium. Before the game, La Russa
said he had no doubt his slugger would bounce right back after his first
four-whiff game of the year.
"If you're talking about the mental aspect of the game, you never have
to worry about Mark," La Russa said. "He's been very strong mentally. He's
been the same every day, all year."
On a 2-1 pitch, McGwire sent a no-doubt drive into the left-field
bleachers, setting off a scramble for the ball. Charles Dombrowski, 21, of
Wisconsin Rapids, came up with it.
Karl also was victimized for long balls by Pat Kelly, Ron Gant and
pitcher Manny Aybar before leaving the game after three innings trailing
6-0.
McGwire had an 18 at-bat homer drought after breaking Roger Maris'
record Sept. 8, but has three homers in his last five games.
The last two have come at County Stadium, the ballpark where Hank
Aaron hit his final home run for the career record.
McGwire, who broke a tie for the home run lead Friday with a 417-foot
two-run homer off Milwaukee rookie Rafael Roque, skipped batting practice
Sunday after hitting nine homers in 18 swings Saturday night.
Sunday's homer was the 451st of McGwire's career, tying him with Carl
Yastrzemski for 20th on the career list. He has 176 homers the past three
seasons.
The Cardinals have six games to go, all at home, where he has homered
a record 33 times. McGwire has 89 homers, 180 RBIs and 199 walks in 200
career games with the Cardinals.
McGwire also entered Sunday's game with a National League record 156
walks, tied for third-highest in history and 14 shy of Babe Ruth's major
league record of 170 set in 1923. Ted Williams is the only other player
with more walks in a season, with 162 in 1947 and '49, and 156 in 1942.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
