He’s Walking His Way to a Record

Mark McGwire is taking it 90 feet at a time in his new record chase.

McGwire kept the bat mostly on his shoulder again Saturday night, drawing three walks for the second consecutive game as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-7, in 12 innings.

McGwire, who also flied out, struck out and singled, leads the majors with 130 walks--including eight in his last three games--and needs a walk per game in the final 41 games to break Babe Ruth’s record of 170, set in 1923.

“He might break it by September 1,” Manager Tony La Russa said. “It’s ridiculous.”

McGwire had gone nine consecutive plate appearances without putting the ball in play after walking on a 3-2 count in the first. He ended that string with a fly out in the third, then walked in the fifth and sixth.

Pirate Manager Gene Lamont didn’t think his pitchers were ducking McGwire because Brian Jordan, who bats fourth, also is a dangerous hitter.

“I’m sure the pitchers are leery of him,” Lamont said. “The bottom line is we’re just trying to win the game. We don’t care if Mark hits three home runs, as long as we win.”

Jordan said he didn’t blame pitchers for being careful with McGwire.

“I don’t think it’s that they’re not pitching to him, it’s that they’re just missing,” Jordan said. “I guess they’re just trying to get him to chase something and Mark is a disciplined hitter.”

McGwire struck out in the eighth and singled in the 10th, giving him just two fair balls in his last 15 plate appearances. He is 24 for 106 (.226) since the All-Star break with 10 homers and 19 RBIs.

Pittsburgh took a 7-5 lead in the 10th on Kevin Young’s RBI double and Jose Guillen’s run-scoring grounder, but Jordan followed McGwire’s single with a two-run homer off Ricardo Rincon, who also allowed a game-tying solo homer to Ron Gant in the ninth.

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Next Series For Dodgers

WHO: Pittsburg Pirates

WHERE: at Pittsburgh

WHEN: Tuesday, 4 p.m.; Wednesday, 4 p.m.