McGwire Ties It and DeShields Wins It

Mark McGwire is expected to hit home runs, especially in key situations. Delino DeShields is not.

McGwire hit a tying, two-run home run in the ninth inning and DeShields homered leading off the 12th Friday night, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves at St. Louis.

Tom Glavine, trying for his 150th career win, shut out St. Louis on two singles for eight innings. But Ray Lankford singled to start the ninth and McGwire followed with his fourth home run in four games.

“He’s made a career of stuff like this,” said St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa, who managed McGwire for several years in Oakland.

McGwire, who also walked four times, hit his fifth homer for St. Louis. He hit 34 for Oakland before getting traded to the Cardinals on July 31.

McGwire’s shot landed beyond the reach of center fielder Kenny Lofton.

“I’ve seen him make some great catches, and when he climbed the wall, I thought he caught it,” McGwire said. “That was probably the first pitch I saw tonight that didn’t tail off the plate.”

And not a bad pitch, Glavine said.

“That was a good pitch actually,” he said. “Honestly, I thought I made two or three worse pitches. The guy’s a great hitter and he’s so darn strong, it doesn’t take much for him to hit one out.”

DeShields opened the 12th against rookie Mike Cather (0-3) with his career-high 11th home run of the season. It was the first homer allowed by Cather in 19 1/3 innings in the majors.

“I wasn’t trying to hit a home run,” DeShields said. “I faked a bunt the first pitch. Really, I was just tying to get him to throw me something. I was just trying to pull the ball. He got the ball up and I put a good swing on it.”

Philadelphia 5, Houston 1--Rico Brogna hit two home runs and drove in four runs, and Curt Schilling struck out 10 to lead the Phillies over the Astros at Houston.

Brogna hit a solo homer off Chris Holt (7-9) in the fourth and a three-run drive off Russ Springer in the ninth. Midre Cummings broke an eighth-inning tie with an RBI single after Tony Barron’s leadoff hit and a sacrifice by Schilling.

Schilling (13-10) reached double digits in strikeouts for the 13th time this season and the 24th time in his career, raising his league-leading total to 242. He gave up one run and five hits in eight innings with one walk. Ricky Bottalico followed with a perfect ninth.

“It’s not like I have a vendetta against them, but you always get a little vindication beating a team that gave up on you,” Schilling said. “The Astros gave up on me after the 1990 season and getting a victory here is always a good feeling.”

Brogna had the fourth two-homer game of his career, the first since May 19.

San Diego 5, Chicago 1--Sterling Hitchcock pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game in two seasons at San Diego.

Hitchcock (8-7) struck out three and walked none in his first complete game since Sept. 20, 1995, when he pitched for Seattle against Toronto.

John Flaherty and Ken Caminiti hit solo homers, and Wally Joyner and Steve Finley hit sacrifice flies.

Quilvio Veras, the Padres’ new leadoff hitter, went three for three and reached base five times with two steals and two runs.

Tony Gwynn went one for five as his NL-leading average dropped to .381. Gwynn also drove in a run, raising his RBI total to 99, nine more than his previous best.

Steve Trachsel (5-10) gave up five runs--four earned--and seven hits in five innings.

Florida 6, Pittsburgh 5--Edgar Renteria’s bases-loaded infield single with one out in the ninth capped a two-run rally at Miami.

The Marlins won despite stranding 16 runners.

Renteria’s slow high-hopper glanced off the glove of hard-charging second baseman Tony Womack near the mound, allowing Gregg Zaun to score without a throw.

Florida trailed, 5-4, when Moises Alou led off with his fourth hit, an infield single against Rich Loiselle (1-3). Charles Johnson walked, and Zaun pinch-ran for him.

Kurt Abbott fouled out trying to bunt, but Jim Eisenreich doubled to tie the score. Devon White was walked intentionally before Renteria drove in the game-winner.

Jay Powell (4-2) retired one batter.

San Francisco 6, Montreal 2--Slumping Barry Bonds passed his father on San Francisco’s career home run list and drove in three runs at San Francisco.

Bonds’ 29th home run was his 187th for San Francisco, one more than Bobby Bonds hit. Barry Bonds had been two for 35 in his previous 10 games.

Jeff Kent also homered for the Giants.

Kirk Rueter (9-5) gave up one run and six hits in seven innings. Mike Johnson (0-1) allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Rico Brogna Philadelphia 2 for 4, two homers, 4 RBIs Win Barry Bonds San Francisco 3 for 4, home run, 3 RBIs Mark McGwire St. Louis 1 for 1, home run, 2 RBIs Win Moises Alou Florida 4 for 5, double, 2 runs, 1 RBI Win

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result S. Hitchcock San Diego Four-hitter, 1 run, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks Win Curt Schilling Philadelphia 8 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 10 strikeouts Win

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