Byrd Looks Fine, Phillies Feel Good

Terry Francona should follow his instincts more often.

The Philadelphia manager resisted the urge to yank starter Paul Byrd, who scattered seven hits and finished with five scoreless innings as the Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 9-4, Tuesday night for their sixth victory in seven games.

“I was surprised he let me hit a couple times,” Byrd (4-2) said after his third career complete game. “He kept pumping me up and patting me on the back, telling me, ‘You’re going to do it.’ ”

Byrd, making his first career start against the Cardinals, gave up homers on consecutive pitches to Eric Davis and Eli Marrero in the fourth and also allowed two runs in the third. Byrd gave up two hits the rest of the way, striking out five and walking two.

“He enjoys competing,” Francona said. “That’s a nice feeling for us in the dugout. When things do start going haywire, we know he’s in pretty good control of things.”

Scott Rolen homered and had three RBIs for the Phillies. Rolen had a two-run double in the first and hit his ninth homer off Kent Mercker (2-2) in a three-run fifth that put the Phillies ahead, 6-4.

Rolen, who led the Phillies with 110 RBIs last season, has 19, tied for the team lead with Doug Glanville and Rico Brogna.

Mercker allowed six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, hiking his earned-run average to 8.20, and may lose his spot in the rotation. Clint Sodowsky, who relieved him and allowed two runs in 2 1/3 innings, is among the possible replacements.

La Russa didn’t want to talk about it. He blamed himself for allowing Mercker, who became ill just before the start of the game, to pitch so long.

“I don’t think it’s a fair question,” La Russa said. “Maybe the best thing to do was to hold everybody out there for an hour so we can come in and talk about the rotation, and you guys would have gotten mad.

“We’re here to talk about the game. You want to talk about the rotation, go back outside, wait an hour, and come back in.”

Right-handed hitters are batting .402 against Mercker. The Phillies loaded up with eight right-handers who were a combined eight for 18.

AROUND THE LEAGUE / Rose’s Claim Disputed

Pete Rose’s claim that he spoke to Cincinnati Red minor leaguers in Rockford, Ill., is a fabrication, the farm team’s general manager said.

Baseball’s banned hits leader gave autographs on a concourse at the ballpark in Rockford as part of a promotion before a game but had no access to the players, General Manager Bruce Keiter said.

A spokesman for Commissioner Bud Selig said baseball was investigating.

Keiter said he made sure that the guidelines for Rose’s lifetime ban for gambling were followed during the April 29 visit.

“Pete’s a good guy. I really think he is feeling years later the brunt of this whole thing taking effect on him,” Keiter said in a telephone interview. “He desperately wants to get back into organized baseball. This is not the way to go about it.”

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The New York Mets placed outfielder Bobby Bonilla on the 15-day disabled list because of a bruised left knee.

Bonilla was injured when he was hit by a pitch from Colorado’s Pedro Astacio on Monday night.