Pirates, Cordova Tame McGwire

Sunday was a rarity for Mark McGwire: no homers or walks.

McGwire remained at 47 homers, going two for five with two singles and three strikeouts in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. But at least he got some pitches to swing at.

Unlike his fellow staff members, who walked McGwire six times in the first two games of the series, Francisco Cordova went after him.

“Cordova is one of the quality guys in the league,” Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said. “I’m sure he takes pride in the confrontations. That wasn’t true the whole weekend, but it was true today. He made great pitches to everybody, including Mark.”

McGwire, 26 for 111 (.234) since the All-Star break with 10 homers and 19 RBIs, fell into a tie for the home run lead when the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa hit his 47th.

McGwire, who walked three times in Saturday night’s 8-7, 12-inning victory--and eight times in his previous three games--has 130, 40 short of Babe Ruth’s season record.

If the high walk count bothers him, he’s not letting on.

“I don’t look at it that way; other people look at it that way,” McGwire said. “I just take every game as it comes and take what’s given to me.”

Cordova (11-10) gave up a two-out single to McGwire with the bases empty in the first, struck him out with two on in the third, struck him out to start the fifth and gave up a two-out single in the seventh--McGwire’s 5,000th at-bat.

With two on and two out in the ninth, Jon Lieber entered the game and struck out McGwire on three pitches for his second career save. McGwire is homerless in 14 at-bats since Tuesday.

Lieber, who lasted only three innings in his start on Friday night, got the call because the Pirate bullpen was short after the 12-inning loss Saturday night.

“I think anybody would be pumped up in that situation,” said Lieber, whose only other save was against St. Louis on April 16, 1996. “I knew I was going to come at him because [Ray] Lankford was up next.”

Cordova, who entered the game batting .089 (five for 56) this season, also doubled and scored in a three-run third against Matt Morris (3-3).