McGwire Turns Up Power With 10th Homer

Mark McGwire turned on a pitch and St. Louis turned the game around against Philadelphia.

McGwire’s major league-leading 10th homer, a two-run shot, capped a six-run seventh inning Saturday night as the Cardinals rallied for an 8-5 victory over the Phillies at Philadelphia.

On Friday, the Phillies used a seven-run fifth to rally for an 8-4 victory.

“It was the same game two days in a row. What we did to them tonight they did to us last night,” Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said. “Both starting pitchers were just sailing along. All of a sudden things happened. That’s why this is such a great game. You never figure things out.”

McGwire’s second homer on the road this season helped the Cardinals rally from a five-run deficit.

“I don’t even know what the pitch was. I was looking for anything,” McGwire said.

Eli Marrero had two hits and scored twice for St. Louis, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Philadelphia starter Matt Beech took a one-hitter into the seventh and led, 5-0, when Gary Gaetti led off with his second homer. One out later, Marrero singled.

Pinch-hitter Willie McGee had a two-out single and Royce Clayton followed with a two-run double to chase Beech.

“I wasn’t tired,” Beech said. “I just didn’t make the pitches that I had too. I had bad pitch selection.”

Jerry Spradlin (2-1) gave up pinch-hitter Ray Lankford’s RBI single that made it 5-4, and McGwire connected on a 1-2 pitch, driving it over the wall in deep center.

“He’s a very tough pitcher,” McGwire said of the 6-foot-7 Spradlin. “He has real good stuff and he’s all arms and legs out there.”

Houston 4, Montreal 3--Craig Biggio hit a go-ahead groundout in the ninth inning as the Astros rallied to beat the Expos at Montreal.

Ricky Gutierrez drew a one-out walk from Ugueth Urbina (1-1) and advanced to third on pinch-hitter Jack Howell’s single. Biggio grounded to second, scoring Gutierrez with the first run this season off Urbina, who had pitched 12 1/3 innings.

Mike Magnante (1-1) pitched two hitless innings, and Billy Wagner got three outs for his fifth save.

Houston catcher Tony Eusebio threw out three Expos attempting to steal second, two in the fifth inning. Astros’ opponents have only two steals in 11 attempts this season.

Cincinnati 2, New York 0--David Weathers, who rejoined the Reds a night earlier after attending his father’s funeral, gave up six hits in eight shutout innings at New York.

Weathers (2-1) struck out seven and walked two. After walking John Olerud leading off the ninth, Jeff Shaw relieved and finished for his seventh save in nine chances, stopping the Reds’ three-game losing streak.

Masato Yoshii (1-1), the Mets’ 32-year old rookie pitcher from Japan, gave up both runs and five hits, struck out five and walked three.

Chris Stynes was two for five with an RBI. Alberto Castillo had a double and single in three at-bats for the Mets.

Arizona 4, Florida 3--Matt Williams’ two-run homer in the 11th inning, his second homer of the game, gave the Diamondbacks their first extra-inning win at Miami.

Williams, who connected for a solo homer in the second inning, followed Travis Lee’s leadoff single in the 11th with his fourth hit of the game and sixth homer this season.

Williams went four for five and earned his 28th career multi-homer game with his shot off Vic Darensbourg (0-2), giving the Diamondbacks only their third win in 14 road games.

Arizona reliever Scott Brow (1-0) got one out for his first National League win. Felix Rodriguez gave up an RBI groundout to Bobby Bonilla in the ninth, but struck out Ryan Jackson with the tying run at third for his fifth save.

Colorado 11, Atlanta 7--Vinny Castilla hit his ninth homer and every Colorado starter but Mike Lansing had at least one RBI at Atlanta as the Rockies reached double figures against the Braves for the second time in six days.

Darryl Kile (2-3) got the win and also hurt the Braves with his bat, capping a six-run third inning with a two-out, two-run double that finished Atlanta starter Kevin Millwood (3-1).