67-68! McGwire Raises Magic Number

By ROSS NEWHAN

Sept. 27, 1998 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

ST. LOUIS —

Creating a vapor trail that may have been visible in Houston, Mark McGwire rocketed a pair of home runs Saturday that left Sammy Sosa 838 feet behind in their great home run race--the dynamite duel that may or may not end today.

While Sosa was collecting two singles in four at-bats as his Chicago Cubs remained in a wild-card tie heading into the final game of the regular season, McGwire smashed his 67th and 68th home runs--seven more than Roger Maris hit in his record year of 1961--as the St. Louis Cardinals were losing to the Montreal Expos, 7-6, before a sellout crowd of 48,212.

Sosa remained at 66 but may have the advantage of an extra game. If the Cubs are involved in a wild-card playoff on either Monday or Tuesday, those statistics would be added to the regular- season totals, a consideration McGwire wasn’t unaware of or disturbed by.

“There’s absolutely nothing I can do about it,” he said. “I’ll be home on the beach.”

Saturday was no day at the beach for Dustin Hermanson and Kirk Bullinger, who became the 62nd and 63rd pitchers to be victimized by McGwire during his record onslaught.

McGwire connected off Hermanson in the fourth, driving a first-pitch fastball into the lower-level seats in left, an estimated 403 feet.

He tagged Bullinger in the seventh, blasting a 1-and-1 slider into the left-center-field bleachers, an estimated 435 feet.

“When Mark hit that second one,” teammate Tom Lampkin said, “we just turned to each other on the bench and started laughing.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s incredible. You’re just not supposed to hit that many home runs.”

McGwire reiterated that the record-breaking No. 62 was the only number he had in mind and that neither he nor Sosa could be disappointed by the outcome given the history they have produced, the pressure they have dealt with and the impact they have had on people and the game.

However, close friend Lampkin, asked about the competition with Sosa, said: “I think there’s something deep down inside where Mark wants to end up with the most, and I think he’d probably admit that if you prodded him enough. I also think he realizes that he’s already accomplished something special and, for the most part, doesn’t care [who has the most].”

Asked if there was something special about 68, McGwire said: “I’d like to shoot it for 18 holes.”

He will be teeing it up soon, of course, and said he was ready and excited at the prospect of shutting it down after today, or as teammate Pat Kelly said: “It’s been unbelievable that he hasn’t been chewing his glove apart or breaking bats. What Mark has been through would wear on anyone, but he has the most mental strength of anyone I’ve played with.”

Said McGwire, referring to the long season and the expectations that came with it: “I’ve been grinding since Day One. It’s been the toughest year mentally that I’ve ever been through, but I now know that I can handle anything if I put my mind to it. I know that I’m going to have to come back rejuvenated and go through it again next year, but I now know I can do it. I’m tired, but I’ve got enough left for one more game.”

That’s bad news for the Expos, whose young pitchers have earned admiration for their aggressive approach to McGwire. He has walked only two times in three games. The approach, Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said, was the ultimate tribute to Montreal Manager Felipe Alou.

“He’s a Dominican [like Sosa], but first and foremost he’s very proud of being a major leaguer,” La Russa said. “He’s a major leaguer in every sense of the world. If everyone was like Felipe Alou, we would never have a taint to this game.”

Alou had a pre-series meeting with his pitchers, telling them to pitch their normal games.

“We’re not going to walk him like cowards, but we’re not going to put it on a tee for him either,” Alou said.

Bullinger, who may be remembered for delivering the record pitch if McGwire doesn’t hit another today and Sosa doesn’t pass him, thought he had made a good pitch, but “that’s why he’s a superstar, the greatest power hitter in the game.”

Bullinger, a 28-year-old rookie right-hander, was working in only his eighth major league game.

“If I’m in the record book,” he said, “it’s not the way I want to be remembered, but there’s nothing to be ashamed of either. He’s the all-time home run king. He’s nailed 67 other guys this year.”

Well, there have been nine multi-homer games and he’s actually nailed only 63, but then who’s counting? Probably not even Sosa at this point.

“I think he’s got bigger and better things on his mind right now,” McGwire said, “and I’m a little envious.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

McGwire’s Day

Mark McGwire’s plate appearances Saturday:

First inning--Struck out.

Fourth inning--Hit 67th home run.

Fifth inning--Hit fly out to warning track in right-center.

Seventh inning--Hit 68th home run.

Ninth inning--Ground out.

Extra Effort

Mark McGwire hit two homers Saturday, his ninth multi-homer game: