Big Mac, Big Delay Make It Long Day

The Dodgers wondered whether they would play Saturday afternoon because of the weather.

The weather eventually cooperated, but the Dodgers played as if they were stuck in mud in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 6-1 victory at Busch Stadium.

The NL Central leaders were sharper in a game delayed by rain three times a total of 4 hours 55 minutes.

Mark McGwire got the Cardinals started with a prodigious two-run home run--his league-leading 28th--in the first inning against Dodger starter Orel Hershiser (1-4). Craig Paquette continued to torment the Dodgers with a two-run single in the sixth after his 12th-inning homer Friday ended the Cardinals’ rain-delayed, series-opening victory.

Pinch-hitter Ray Lankford added a two-run double in the eighth, and six St. Louis pitchers limited the Dodgers to six hits before what had been a sellout crowd of 47,071. St. Louis turned three double plays and shortstop Edgar Renteria dazzled defensively.

The Dodgers scored their only run in the fifth on a wild pitch by Alan Benes (1-0), who pitched three innings to earn his first victory since 1997.

Gary Sheffield’s hitting streak ended at 13 games, and Shawn Green’s streak of reaching base with either a hit or walk ended at 53 games.

The Dodgers were weary and all wet.

“It was kind of a grueling day,” said Manager Davey Johnson, whose team dropped to 38-34. “The guys were a little worn down, they’re still grinding, but the tank is a little bit dry. It happens all the time where you sit around and [then] you play.

“But it was a little tougher since it was a long game [Friday night], and then you get up early in the morning for a game. So you’re out there, and you’re getting geared up, and then you have a long wait. That makes it a lot tougher on guys who didn’t get a chance to recover from extra innings the night before.”

On Saturday, the first delay lasted 1 hour 6 minutes. The game scheduled to start at 12:25 p.m. CDT began at 1:31 p.m., and a 33-minute delay occurred after the Dodgers batted in the first. Friday’s game was delayed twice because of rain for a total of 41 minutes.

“Obviously, the last two days haven’t been ideal conditions,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “But [the Cardinals] had to play through it as well. They got the hits, they made the pitches, they made the play.”

Hershiser started on seven days’ rest after injuring his right hip in his last outing, and didn’t work long Saturday.

He pitched only 1 1/3 innings because of the delays. But that was long enough to give up McGwire’s first-inning shot.

After J.D. Drew singled and Jim Edmonds struck out, McGwire hit his 550th career homer off the scoreboard in left-center.

The blast, estimated at 483 feet, gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead under ominous skies.

“Everyone has to battle the elements,” said Hershiser, who might start Monday against the San Diego Padres after throwing only 26 pitches. “You can’t make excuses. You just have to do it.”

The rain resumed in the bottom of the second, and the umpires stopped play with one out after Eduardo Perez doubled down the right-field line.

Carlos Perez pitched well after relieving Hershiser after the second delay.

The left-hander pitched 4 1/3 solid innings on two days’ rest. He gave up two hits and was charged with one run.

The Cardinals took a 4-1 lead in the sixth on Paquette’s two-run single. Edmonds singled with two out, and Johnson didn’t want Perez to face McGwire.

Enter Terry Adams, who has a sore pitching shoulder.

McGwire singled and Eric Davis walked to load the bases, then Paquette singled to center to give the Cardinals a three-run cushion.

“Carlos did a good job,” Johnson said, “but Adams still isn’t 100%.”