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Reds Still Have a Spot for Perez

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From Associated Press

Eduardo Perez made the Cincinnati Reds glad that he is on the team.

Perez hit an run-scoring single in the 13th inning and the Reds won their eighth consecutive game, 6-5, over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

Perez was placed on waivers by the Reds last week. Those waivers were withdrawn after no team claimed the son of former Cincinnati standout Tony Perez.

“I don’t know what the future is, but I want to stay with the Reds if I can,” Perez said. “This is a business, but I can enjoy a game like this.”

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It’s always been my dream to play here and if that’s not going to happen I can deal with that, too.”

Mark McGwire, who homered twice Sunday to increase his major league-leading total to 40, was hitless in three at-bats with three walks for St. Louis. He popped out with two runners on and two outs in the ninth, and was intentionally walked with one out and nobody on in the 12th.

St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa said McGwire will not start tonight.

Bret Boone opened the 13th with a double off Bobby Witt (0-1) and scored one out later on Perez’s single to right.

Gabe White (3-3) pitched three scoreless innings as the Reds won for the 13th time in 14 games.

White said he had no hesitation in walking McGwire in the 12th inning.

“It didn’t bother me to walk him and it wouldn’t have bothered me if he had hit a home run,” White said. “He’s already done it off 40 other pitchers this year.”

Ron Gant homered for the third consecutive game for the Cardinals, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

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The Reds scored two runs in the ninth off Jeff Brantley, who they traded away this winter, to tie the score at 5-5.

Brantley blew his fifth save chance in 18 tries and La Russa said the reliever should have preserved the win.

“It was a save situation that was right there for him,” La Russa said. “It’s a tough one to miss. It’s an upsetting loss and I hope we’re not deflated.”

Pinch-hitter Chris Stynes led off the ninth with an infield single and scored when Mike Frank doubled and right fielder Brian Jordan threw wildly to second for an error. Frank advanced on Sean Casey’s groundout and scored the tying run on Barry Larkin’s sacrifice fly.

St. Louis scored four runs in the first off Scott Winchester. Royce Clayton led off with a double and scored on a single by Ray Lankford. After McGwire struck out, Jordan grounded into a force play at second and Gant followed with his 15th homer to make it 3-0.

Gant was playing his third game since returning from the disabled list because of a strained right hamstring.

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The Cardinals added another run in the inning on Placido Polanco’s run-scoring single against Winchester.

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