Thompson Silences McGwire, St. Louis With His Changeup

The St. Louis Cardinals are glad Justin Thompson is in the American League.

“He had the best changeup I ever saw,” Gary Gaetti said after Thompson pitched seven shutout innings in the Detroit Tigers’ 8-1 interleague victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night at St. Louis.

“He was overpowering with his changeup,” Gaetti said.

Thompson gave up only three singles and helped extend Mark McGwire’s homerless stretch to five games and 20 at-bats. McGwire went one for three with a single.

“I pitched against him when he was with Oakland and he got a home run off me,” Thompson said. “But he didn’t get me tonight.”

Thompson, who struck out five and walked four, also singled for his first career hit in seven at-bats and scored on Damion Easley’s two-run single in the eighth off Brady Raggio. He sprained his right ankle when he landed awkwardly on third base, ending his outing prematurely, but he was not seriously hurt.

“I felt a little pop when I stepped on the bag,” Thompson said. “But after that everything went away and I feel fine now.”

Rookie Gabe Alvarez hit his first two home runs and had four RBIs for Detroit. Alvarez, whose contract was purchased Monday from triple-A Toledo, homered in the second off Kent Bottenfield (2-4) and hit a three-run shot in the seventh off Bottenfield for a 5-0 lead.

“He’s not in awe of where he’s at,” Manager Buddy Bell said.

Alvarez, who singled in his first major league at-bat Monday, was Arizona’s first pick in the 1997 expansion draft. He was acquired by the Tigers in the off-season and was leading the International League with 20 homers when he was called up.

“These first couple games have just been a blur,” said Alvarez, who attended La Puente Bishop Amat High and USC. “Everyone has been telling me to just slow things down, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do. I’m just very happy to contribute.”

Alvarez looked like a veteran to Bottenfield.

“You don’t see a lot of big-league hitters hitting great pitches out of the ballpark,” Bottenfield said. “He recognized the mistakes and he jumped on them.”

St. Louis didn’t score until the ninth, when David Howard hit a sacrifice fly off Todd Jones.