McGwire Dazzles With Three Home Runs

Mark McGwire had just beaten the Phillies, 10-8, with his third two-run homer of the game Tuesday night, but Philadelphia fans, usually hard on their ballclub, showed how much they appreciate art.

For that matter, so did the Phillies.

“Fans like to see offense, and those balls weren’t exactly paint-scrapers,” said Wayne Gomes (1-1), who gave up the game-tying homer to Ron Gant, then McGwire’s game-winning homer in the eighth inning. “I’d pay to see a guy who hits like that.”

Instead, he was paid to serve up the shot, which traveled 451 feet, into the upper deck at Veterans Stadium. McGwire’s two other home runs carried 440 and 471 feet, and it was the second time this season and fourth time of his career that he has hit three home runs in a game.

The last drew a standing ovation for a visiting player, rare anywhere and extremely unlikely in Philadelphia.

“It’s a great feeling,” McGwire said of the standing ovation he received as he rounded the bases. “I wish every player could experience something like that.”

McGwire leads the majors with 20 homers.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa, who has seen all four of McGwire’s three-homer games, including the one he had April 14 this year against Arizona. “I’ve got to figure out where this one goes on the list.”

It should rank pretty high. The three homers give McGwire 407 for his career, good enough for a tie with Duke Snider for 24th on the all-time list.

It was the 45th time in his career that McGwire has hit more than one homer in a game. Only nine players in major-league history have more multihomer games.

“We know what he can do if you let him get his arms extended,” Phillie Manager Terry Francona said. “It looked like his arms were on backward.”

McGwire helped the Cardinals build a 3-0 lead with his first homer of the night, in the third inning. After the Phillies cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth, McGwire’s second homer started a four-run fifth that put St. Louis ahead, 7-2.

Pittsburgh 3, San Diego 0--Rookie Jose Silva shut down the Padres on four hits over eight innings, stopping their winning streak at five games by beating them at Pittsburgh.

Jermaine Allensworth tripled to drive in the Pirates’ first run, then preserved Silva’s third consecutive victory by running down Steve Finley’s long drive to center field to start a double play in the sixth inning.

With Quilvio Veras on first, Finley’s shot into the right-center field gap appeared destined for extra bases. But Allensworth stretched out his glove just short of the warning track to make the catch, then twirled and threw to second baseman Tony Womack, who doubled Veras off first.

Silva (5-3), making his first start against San Diego, retired the next seven batters in the longest outing of his career.

Mark Smith ended a season-opening 0-for-31 slump--the worst in the majors in 19 years--with a double and scored on Jose Guillen’s RBI single in the sixth inning for Pittsburgh’s second run.

Montreal 4, Houston 2--Chris Widger drove in three runs, Rondell White homered and doubled and Carlos Perez gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings for the Expos, who won at Montreal.

White went two for three with a walk, and Widger’s three RBIs gave Perez (3-3) all the offense he needed in the first outdoor game at Montreal since Sept. 8, 1991.

The roof covering Olympic Stadium was removed at the end of the Expos’ last home stand on May 10. The roof was installed in 1987 and was initially supposed to be retractable, but was prone to tearing in high winds. A new permanent roof will be put on after the season.

New York 7-5, Cincinnati 3-3--Brian Bohanon gave up three hits and a run in six innings of the second game to help the Mets finish a sweep at New York.

Bobby Jones gave up four hits in eight innings and Butch Huskey hit a three-run homer for the Mets in the first game.

Bohanon (1-1), starting in the second of seven Met doubleheaders this season after a run of rainouts, also had an RBI single in the second inning.

John Franco gave up an unearned run in the ninth inning, but picked up his ninth save in 11 opportunities. The save gives Franco 368 for his career and moved him past Jeff Reardon for third place on the career major league list.

Milwaukee 9, San Francisco 6--Jeromy Burnitz’s three-run homer in the ninth inning gave the Brewers a victory at Milwaukee.

With the score tied, 6-6, Fernando Vina opened the ninth with a double off Jim Poole (0-1). Vina went to third base on Jeff Cirillo’s sacrifice bunt and, after Mark Loretta was intentionally walked, Burnitz hit an 0-and-1 pitch over the right-field fence, his ninth homer of the year and his first since April 28.

Burnitz went three for four with a double, a single and four RBIs for Milwaukee, which blew a 6-0 lead.

Leading, 6-4, in the top of the ninth inning, Doug Jones (3-2) gave up a one-out single to Stan Javier, who went to third on Brent Mayne’s single. Rich Aurilia’s single drove in Javier to make it 6-5, and pinch-runner Rey Sanchez moved to third.

Pinch-hitter Charlie Hayes tied it with a sacrifice fly, scoring Sanchez. Jones was the winner despite his fourth blown save in 15 chances.