ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Ivan Rodriguez said his bruised right elbow was fine, then proved it by going 3-for-3 with a home run as the Texas beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 in an exhibition game Friday night.

The reigning AL MVP was drilled by a pitch Thursday night in a game against Double-A Tulsa. Once learning X-rays were negative, Rodriguez wasted no time getting back behind the plate.

He singled in the first and second innings, then hit his third homer of the spring in the fourth. He caught one more inning, then left when starting pitcher Darren Oliver was pulled.

Oliver allowed three runs on six hits in five innings in his first appearance against the team he played for the last 1 1/2 years. One of the runs was unearned, but it was set up by his own fielding error.

Pat Hentgen had his worst outing of the spring, giving up seven runs on 10 hits and two walks. He also hit a batter and didn't have any strikeouts.

Hentgen allowed four straight singles to start the game, but held Texas to one run because of a strong throw home by center fielder Jim Edmonds and a double play.

Hentgen walked No. 9 hitter Luis Alicea with the bases loaded and none out in the second, gave up three hits and a sacrifice fly to start the third and allowed solo homers to Rodriguez and Alicea in the fourth.

Rafael Palmeiro was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI single. Alicea complemented his batting with a barehanded stop of a Fernando Vina bunt and a quick underhanded toss to get him out at first.

Mark McGwire took batting practice for St. Louis, then his back stiffened and he was scratched from the lineup, disappointing many of 37,241 fans who came to The Ballpark. He's expected to be fine for the opener.

Edmonds doubled and tripled and scored each time and Fernando Tatis, whom Texas traded to St. Louis with Oliver, had a solo homer off reliever Mike Venafro.

Venafro, who has struggled with a strained ligament on his pitching hand, pitched one inning. John Wetteland, who had been working early in games to face better hitters, pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two.

Both are expected to pitch again Saturday in the exhibition finale in Houston. St. Louis wraps up the preseason Saturday in Memphis against its Triple-A affiliate.