McGwire’s Back Passes Orel Exam in Return to Plate

The Roger Maris chase has resumed for Mark McGwire, although his major league-leading 28th home run couldn’t stop the St. Louis Cardinals’ slump.

After sitting out three games against the Dodgers because of back spasms, McGwire hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat in Friday night’s 3-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

“It’s not like I planned on having a break,” McGwire said. “But sometimes they’re good for you.”

But it was the only damage allowed by Orel Hershiser and four other pitchers. Hershiser recovered to win his sixth consecutive decision in the opener of the only non-interleague series of the weekend.

“I knew Big Mac was going to play,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said. “He may have a bad back, but there is nothing wrong with his bat.”

Jeff Kent had a two-run double in a three-run third for the Giants, who won their season-high seventh in a row and sent the Cardinals to their sixth loss in seven games.

Hershiser (6-3), the NL pitcher of the month in May with a 5-0 record and 0.86 earned-run average, worked six innings and gave up two runs on six hits. Hershiser walked five, but worked out of trouble by stranding eight runners in the fourth through sixth innings.

Hershiser was sick with flu before the game and was a doubtful starter.

“The trainers put a lot of electrolytes into me before the game,” Hershiser said. “I couldn’t believe how much it helped.”

McGwire, who hurt his back grounding out Monday at San Diego and sat out a three-game series at Dodger Stadium, showed no signs of a bad back at the plate or in the field.

He went two for four with his eighth intentional walk of the season, two strikeouts and a single off the left-field wall. He also made a nice catch of Darryl Hamilton’s liner to open the game.

“It’s a mind game,” McGwire said. “If you say to yourself you’re going to be slow, you’re going to be slow. This game is mental and I mentally prepared today.”

Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said he wasn’t surprised McGwire picked up where he left off.

“He doesn’t amaze me more than he always amazes me,” La Russa said. “You expect the incredible, and he keeps doing it.”