NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Despite Their Injuries, Cardinals Beat Mets, 15-7

The St. Louis Cardinals might run out of players before May. The new baseball season is three days old, and they have already lost three regulars and a starting pitcher.

Bryn Smith walked off the mound in the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets at St. Louis, complaining of soreness in his right shoulder.

In the first two games, injuries sidelined the right side of the defense--first baseman Andres Galarraga, second baseman Jose Oquendo and last season’s leading hitter, right fielder Felix Jose.

All the injuries have not kept the Cardinals from enjoying the changes in Busch Stadium. The fences have been brought in eight feet; it’s now a hitter’s park.

Brian Jordan, a safety with the Atlanta Falcons, drove in four runs in his major league debut, and the Cardinals hammered the Mets, 15-7.

The injuries to Galarraga (broken wrist) and Jose (hamstring) gave Jordan his first chance to be a two-sport man, and he made the most of it. His two-run single broke a 2-2 tie in the third inning.

Todd Zeile and Pedro Guerrero hit back-to-back homers for the Cardinals in the fifth inning.

Tuesday night, the Cardinals hammered Bret Saberhagen and the Mets, 9-2.

The injury woes also hit the Mets. Starting pitcher Sid Fernandez had to leave in the third inning because of a knee injury.

San Diego 2, Cincinnati 1--Former Dodger Tim Belcher pitched well in his debut with the Reds, but he ran into one of the best in the league at Cincinnati.

Andy Benes, 11-1 after the All-Star break last season, pitched seven sharp innings and drove in a run with a squeeze bunt.

Belcher also went seven innings, giving up five hits and both runs. A disputed interference call cost him a chance to begin his career with the Reds on a victorious note.

The Reds, trailing, 1-0, loaded the bases with no one out in the sixth. Dave Martinez grounded sharply to first baseman Fred McGriff, who threw home for the force. Catcher Dann Biardello’s throw hit Martinez in the back, and two runs scored. But home plate umpire Greg Bonin ruled Martinez out for interference, and the Reds didn’t score.

Red Manager Lou Piniella stormed out on the field, kicked up a dust storm and was ejected.

Philadelphia 11, Chicago 3--In the first inning at Philadelphia, Tommy Greene threw 39 pitches, one of them a three-run home run by Ryne Sandberg, but settled down after that.

Greene, 13-7 in 1991, gave up seven hits in seven innings.

Ruben Amaro Jr., playing in place of injured Len Dykstra, hit his first major league home run and had two doubles.

Amaro came from the Angels in the Von Hayes deal.

Atlanta 3, Houston 1--John Smoltz started poorly last season, but he was ready for his first assignment at Houston.

Smoltz shut out the Astros out for eight innings, but gave up a run in the ninth. The Astros, shut out by Tommy Glavine Tuesday night, ended 17 scoreless innings when Luis Gonzalez singled and Jeff Bagwell doubled.

Pittsburgh 4, Montreal 2--Barry Bonds, the Pirates’ new cleanup hitter, hit a two-run home run, and Zane Smith went seven innings to at Three Rivers Stadium for the sixth consecutive time.

Bonds replaced the departed Bobby Bonilla in the No. 4 spot.

Delino DeShields hit an inside-the-park home run for the Expos.