| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Matt Clement flirted with danger one time too
many, and Mark McGwire made him pay.
McGwire hit a towering two-run homer off Clement that broke a
seventh-inning tie, and a controversial ruling helped the St. Louis
Cardinals score two runs Monday night in a 7-3 victory over the San
Diego Padres.
|  | | Mark McGwire is within three homers of Mike Schmidt for seventh place on the all-time list. |
McGwire's 23rd homer, his second in two days, landed an
estimated 451 feet into the second deck in left field. The home run
off Clement followed a leadoff walk to Jim Edmonds, his third of
the game.
In two previous at-bats after Edmonds walked, McGwire managed
only a single and a fly out. But McGwire left no doubt the third
time around.
"I got a pitch to hit," McGwire said of the 2-0 fastball
Clement threw down the middle of the plate. "It was probably the
straightest pitch he threw all night. His ball is never straight."
Clement (5-6) realized his mistake right away.
"Obviously, I shouldn't have thrown a ball down the middle,"
he said. "That's what he does with them. He's the best home run
hitter in the game. He doesn't miss his pitch."
Before Sunday, McGwire hit just one homer since May 24. Monday's
drive was his 545th, moving him within three of Mike Schmidt for
seventh place on the career list.
Since joining the Cardinals, McGwire has hit eight homers in 12
games at San Diego.
St. Louis manager Tony La Russa, who has seen some of McGwire's
longest home runs in his three seasons with the Cardinals, was
nevertheless impressed.
"McGwire is amazing, awe inspiring, breathtaking," La Russa
said. "I'm a lucky man."
Andy Benes (6-3) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings,
and struck out a season-high 10 against his former team.
Clement allowed five runs -- four earned -- seven hits, six walks
and a hit batter in six-plus innings.
St. Louis scored two runs in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead on a
controversial ruling by plate umpire Gary Cederstrom.
Mike Matheny led off with a double and Placido Polanco followed
with a slow roller up the middle that was gloved by second baseman
Bret Boone. As Matheny turned at third base, Boone threw behind him
and the ball bounced past Phil Nevin, caromed off a wall in foul
territory and rolled toward the Cardinals dugout.
Clement picked up the ball as it hit a pile of gloves on a towel
in the dirt in front of the dugout. Cederstrom apparently ruled the
ball went out of play, allowing Matheny to score and Polanco to
take third.
After a lengthy argument, San Diego manager Bruce Bochy played
the game under protest. Fernando Vina followed with a sacrifice fly
for a 3-2 lead, but Ryan Klesko homered in the bottom half.
"It's bad enough that we made the error, but the damage was
compounded," Bochy said. "The ruling went against us, but it was
their equipment."
Cederstrom refused to speak to reporters afterward.
Eric Owens hit a two-run double for San Diego, and Thomas
Howard's RBI single drove in the Cardinals' first run.
Matheny hit a two-run homer off Carlos Reyes in the ninth.
Game notes
McGwire joined Mike Piazza and Greg Vaughn as the only
players to hit at least two home run into the second deck at
Qualcomm Stadium. Vaughn did it four times when he played for the
Padres, and McGwire and Piazza have accomplished the feat twice
each. ... Clement has 22 walks in his last four starts. ... San
Diego C Carlos Hernandez was a late scratch because of lower-back
tightness. ... St. Louis OF Ray Lankford was held out of the
lineup, one day after he sprained his right hand while striking out
against Detroit. Lankford, the DH against the Tigers, has not
started in the field since June 3 due to a sore left hamstring. ...
Padres OF Tony Gwynn (degenerative left knee) did not start in
right field as part of his routine of not playing back-to-back
games.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
San Diego Clubhouse
RECAPS
Chi. White Sox 8
Cleveland 7
Toronto 4
Detroit 2
Boston 0
NY Yankees 0
Seattle 5
Kansas City 3
Minnesota 7
Oakland 2
Atlanta 10
Pittsburgh 8
Florida 5
Philadelphia 2
Milwaukee 8
Montreal 1
St. Louis 7
San Diego 3
Arizona 4
Los Angeles 2
San Francisco 10
Cincinnati 3
|
