Slammed From Both Sides

One down, 60 to go.

Mark McGwire started the chase for Roger Maris’ record with a dramatic grand slam Tuesday, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-0.

“Opening day, bases loaded, the star, the modern-day Babe Ruth comes up, and hits a grand slam,” teammate Gary Gaetti said.

A sellout crowd of 47,972 screamed in anticipation when Delino DeShields walked on a full count to load the bases with two out in the fifth inning and McGwire on deck.

McGwire didn’t disappoint, hitting a towering drive that cleared the left-field wall and broke open a scoreless game.

“It’s an awesome feeling,” McGwire said. “How can you not get chills?”

McGwire, who also doubled, overshadowed a strong performance by winning pitcher Todd Stottlemyre. The St. Louis starter gave up three hits in seven-plus innings and didn’t allow a runner past second base.

McGwire, who hit 58 home runs last season, falling three short of Maris’ record, became the first Cardinal player to hit a grand slam on opening day. The shot spoiled Rupert Murdoch’s first game as Dodgers owner.

Fans have come to expect such heroics from McGwire after last season, when he hit 24 home runs in 51 games, including one off Tuesday’s losing pitcher, Ramon Martinez, after he was acquired from Oakland on the trading deadline. His 58 tied for third most in history, and many think he might hit even more in this expansion season.

“They can expect whatever they want,” McGwire said. “I can only do what I can do. I just emphasize this is a team sport and you’ve got to win with 25 guys, not one.”

McGwire hit seven home runs in spring training, then showed he was ready for the real games. Five of his home runs last season went 500 feet or farther, but his 10th career grand slam traveled a mere 364 feet.

Dodger left fielder Todd Hollandsworth appeared to be drawing a bead on the ball, drifting back slowly toward the wall.

“I guarantee, if you ask him, he’ll say he mis-hit it,” Hollandsworth said. “I think I deked a lot of people out on that one.

“I thought that ball was going to stay in the yard, but this guy has got power that I can’t relate to.”

McGwire wasn’t arguing with Hollandsworth. At first, he thought it might drop in behind Hollandsworth.

“It sort of surprised me that it carried that well,” McGwire said. “I know I hit it high enough, it was just a matter of if it was far enough.”

Martinez was among McGwire’s victims last season, giving up a 517-foot home run that landed above the Busch Stadium scoreboard Sept. 16. That one was the longest ever measured in the stadium and came on the day he signed his three-year, $28.5-million contract.

On the way back to the dugout Tuesday, McGwire traded forearm smashes with teammates. Moments later, cheers from a sellout crowd at Busch Stadium brought him out for a curtain call.

McGwire also saved a run at first base in the fifth, making a diving stop to his left of Martinez’s two-out hard grounder with runners at first and second.

“I guess you can credit him today for six runs,” Stottlemyre said. “He drove in four and stopped two.”

McGwire also proved he was human, striking out twice. He took a called third strike with nobody on for the last out in the first and in the seventh, he fanned with runners at first and second on a checked swing against Frank Lankford.

Gaetti and pinch-hitter Willie McGee added RBI singles in the eighth.

Stottlemyre, making his 300th career appearance and third opening-day start, didn’t allow a runner until Mike Piazza singled with two out in the fourth. Rookie Paul Konerko singled with one out in the fifth and singled again with two out in the seventh.

Cardinal relief pitcher Braden Looper made his major league debut in the ninth and struck out the side.

Martinez, making his fifth opening-day start, ran into trouble in the fifth when Gaetti led off with a double. Tom Lampkin singled before DeShields’ walk loaded the bases.

Before the game, there was a moment of silence for the late Harry Caray, who broadcast Cardinal games for 25 years from 1944-69.