La Russa Uses Six Pitchers to Blank Phillies

The National League has done little to change Tony La Russa’s managing style.

La Russa, who called on his bullpen with regularity during his 17 seasons in the American League, used a National League record-tying six pitchers in a shutout Friday night at Philadelphia as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Phillies, 1-0.

Royce Clayton hit an RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning for the Cardinals.

“You’ve got to use a lot of pitchers in this league,” La Russa said. “I’m very happy with all of my pitchers. Especially Mark Petkovsek. We got four quality innings out of him.”

Petkovsek, activated earlier in the day after a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Louisville because of inflammation in his right shoulder, pitched the first four innings for St. Louis. He gave up three hits, struck out three and walked two.

Cory Bailey (2-0) pitched one inning for the win. Dennis Eckersley worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Cardinal center fielder Ray Lankford helped preserve the lead in the ninth. Kevin Stocker singled with one out and tried to stretch it into a double, but Lankford threw him out.

John Mabry opened the St. Louis ninth with a single off Russ Springer (0-2) and moved to second on Danny Sheaffer’s sacrifice.

After David Bell struck out, Luis Alicea walked. Clayton followed with a ground-rule double down the left-field line.

Rich Hunter, at 21 the youngest pitcher in the major leagues, pitched seven shutout innings for the Phillies. He gave up five hits, striking out three and walking four.

The Cardinals matched the NL mark, last done by St. Louis in 1994, for using the most pitchers in a shutout. The major league record is seven.

Atlanta 7, San Diego 1--John Smoltz, who one-hit San Diego over eight innings in his last start, limited the Padres to three hits at Atlanta.

Smoltz (3-1), whose no-hit bid Sunday was ended by a controversial double by Tony Gwynn in the seventh inning, struck out six and walked two in his first complete game since June 19, 1995, at Cincinnati.

“I never like to face a team twice in five days and I watched them hit the ball all over Coors Field before they came here,” Smoltz said. “But they’re hurting a little without Tony Gwynn and Rickey Henderson.”

In 17 innings spanning his last two starts, Smoltz has given up one run and struck out 19.

“John wasn’t as dominating tonight when he one-hit the Padres for eight innings,” Brave Manager Bobby Cox said. “But he was real good.”

Ryan Klesko hit his league-leading eighth homer for the Braves. Fred McGriff and David Justice drove in two runs apiece.

Chicago 10, San Francisco 6--Brian McRae hit a go-ahead grand slam and Ryne Sandberg and Mark Grace followed with solo shots in the sixth inning as the Cubs homered six times in Chicago.

Sandberg hit two homers and Ozzie Timmons and Sammy Sosa one apiece for Chicago, which won its fourth in a row. Mark Carreon, Steve Decker and Matt Williams homered for San Francisco.

Kevin Foster (3-0) won despite giving up five runs and seven hits in six innings.

Allen Watson (1-2) gave up nine runs--four earned--and 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Houston 13, Cincinnati 5--Sean Berry drove in five runs and reliever Doug Brocail pitched a strong 5 1/3 innings after replacing injured starter Greg Swindell at Houston. Jeff Bagwell and Derek Bell had three RBIs each for the Astros, who equaled a season high with 18 hits.

Brocail replaced Swindell in the second inning after the Houston starter strained his left groin chasing down a bunt by Red starter Pete Schourek. Brocail gave up only three hits and struck out six before tiring in the seventh. It was the longest outing of the right-hander’s career.

Montreal 2, Pittsburgh 1--David Segui led off the ninth inning with his first homer of the season as the Expos ended Pittsburgh’s winning streak at four in Montreal.

Segui, who had the first four-hit game of his career Thursday night, drove a 1-1 pitch from Dan Plesac (0-1) over the left-field wall.

Colorado 5, New York 3--Dante Bichette hit a two-run homer and Larry Walker followed with a solo shot in the fifth inning for the Rockies at New York.

Bichette’s second homer this season and Walker’s fifth sent the Mets to their third consecutive loss.

Walt Weiss continued to pound Met pitchers by going three for four. He is 10 for 18 (.556) this season against New York.