It’s Summer of 42 Homers for McGwire

Baseball fans in these parts expect Mark McGwire to hit home runs daily, and they become concerned when he doesn’t.

The St. Louis Cardinal slugger says things don’t work that way--then he fuels excitement with stirring blasts.

And he didn’t diminish expectations in his most recent show-stopping performance Friday night.

McGwire continued his pursuit of Roger Maris’ single-season home run record, hitting two solo homers in a 4-1 victory over the Dodgers before 39,191 at Busch Stadium.

McGwire hit his major league-leading 41st homer--an upper-deck shot estimated at 511 feet--in the first inning against Dodger starter Brian Bohanon (2-6), and his 42nd--425 feet--against reliever Antonio Osuna in the eighth.

Both shots sparked celebrations throughout the red-clad crowd, and McGwire received an overwhelming ovation after his curtain call in the eighth. McGwire walked in his at-bats in the fourth and sixth.

“We enjoy the buzz around the stadium after he hits one,” St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa said. “It lasts for about five minutes, and it’s really good stuff.”

That combined with Eli Marrero’s two-run double in the seventh helped the struggling Cardinals end a four-game losing streak.

The Dodgers had the tying run at the plate with one out in the ninth against reliever Rich Croushore. With runners at first and second, Eric Karros flied out to center and pinch-hitter Jim Eisenreich grounded out.

Croushore earned his fifth save and nailed down the victory for starter Juan Acevedo (5-2), who pitched six scoreless innings before leaving the game because of elbow stiffness.

The Dodgers moved back to .500 for the 24th time this season, dropping to 48-48. Charles Johnson hit a solo homer in the eighth--his 13th--but that shot was overshadowed.

And not surprisingly, the Dodgers identified one guy as their biggest problem Friday.

“There’s nothing you can do when he’s hitting like that,” Dodger Manager Glenn Hoffman said of the Cardinals’ power-hitting first baseman.

“That was 900 feet of home run, and that really got the crowd into it. That’s a guy being locked in big, and I haven’t seen that in a long time.”

McGwire is now six for nine with four homers against Bohanon, who has lost in both starts since being acquired from the New York Mets for middle reliever Greg McMichael last Friday.

Bohanon gave up two hits--including the homer to McGwire--in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and had a season-high six strikeouts while throwing 74 pitches, 44 for strikes.

The left-hander was pleased about his performance--with one exception. “I threw one bad pitch,” Bohanon said of the first-pitch changeup McGwire hit into the upper deck in left.

“It was early and I wanted to challenge him, and he hit it out. I’ve got a history with him, and I’ve struggled against him.”

On a 1-and-0 count against McGwire in the eighth, Osuna threw a 93-mph fastball high and inside. It quickly landed in the first deck in left.

“That guy is something,” said Osuna, who has given up five runs in his last five innings. “I made a bad pitch and I didn’t do my job.”

With two powerful swings, McGwire added to his numerous records in his fifth multi-homer game this season, and 48th of his career.

He became the first player to hit 42 home runs in July. McGwire, who has hit 25 homers in his last 50 games, tied Rogers Hornsby’s 1922 team record for homers by a right-handed batter and is one shy of Johnny Mize’s club record.

In setting the major league record with 61 homers in 1961, Maris didn’t hit his 42nd homer until Aug. 11. The next target for McGwire is the record for homers through Aug. 31.

Hack Wilson of the Chicago Cubs established the National League record with 46 in 1930. Maris holds the major league record with 51 in ’61.

McGwire hadn’t homered in four games since hitting two against the Houston Astros last Sunday. He was hitless in four at-bats in an 8-2 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday, and the fans were becoming restless.

“I’ve been pitched to pretty well [recently],” said McGwire, who is on a pace to hit 72 homers.

“I just told myself to stay aggressive, and if I get a pitch to hit, take a whack at it. But you’re not going to hit them all the time.”

It only seems as though he does.