St. Louis Cardinals Game Summary

Monday, April 5
It's baseball season again, the best time of the year. McGwire is already on his way to breaking his own record of 70 homeruns, which he set last season. On a rain-soaked night at Busch, McGwire launched a line drive shot into the right field stands. The Cards lost despite homeruns from McGwire and Fernando Tatis, and despite back to back three run innings in the 8th and 9th. Final Score:Milwaukee 10, St. Louis 8.

Tuesday, April 6
Off-Day.

Wednesday, April 7
Fernando Tatis hit his second homerun of the season in the Cards 4-1 victory over Milwaukee. Kent Bottenfield, who threw just 92 pitches, tossed 6 strong innings, holding the Brewers to just 1 run on 4 hits. Bottenfield also walked 3 batters and struck out 3 batters, on his way to his first win of the season. Lance Painter, Ricky Bottalico, and Juan Acevado combined to hold the Brewers to one hit and no runs over the last three innings. Juan Acevado picked up the save, his first of the season.
On offense, McGwire scored and drove in one, while Tatis had two runs, a homerun, and two RBIs. The first Cardinal run scored in the second, when Tatis made it home on a Elie Marrero double play grounder. The Cardinals final three runs came in the sixth, when J. D. Drew scored on a McGwire double under left fielder Jeoff Jenkins glove. After an Eric Davis fly out to right field, Tatis crushed a 378-foot homerun over the left field wall. Final score:St. Louis 4, Milwaukee 1.

Thursday, April 8
Cards smoke the Brewers 9-4. The Cards first run came in the second inning, and was manufactured by Fernando Tatis. Tatis reached on an error by third baseman Jeff Cirillo, stole second and third off Brewer's pitcher Jim Abbott, and scored on a two out single by Joe McEwing. Kent Mercker started for St. Louis and went 5 innings, surrendering 8 hits and 3 earned runs. Mercker struggled in the third, giving up two runs on three hits, after retiring the first two batters. Marquis Grissom doubled to left and Cirillo singled him home. After Jerome Burnitz walked Sean Berry doubled to left-center field, scoring Burnitz and giving Milwaukee a 2-1 lead. The Cards tied the score in the bottom of the third on Shawon Dunston's first homerun of the season, a 404 foot bomb into the left field stands. The Brewers scored again in the top of the 4th off a Bobby Hughes solo shot. In the bottom of sixth, with the score Cards 6, Milwaukee 3, Alberto Castillo walked and McEwing singled. Placido Polanco doubled down the left field line scoring Castillo. Darren Bragg then singled to drive home McEwing and send Polanco to third. Polanco scored when the pitch got by the catcher, Hughes, and roled to the backstop. The Brewers picked up a run in the 8th against Mohler and threatened in the 9th, until newly aquired lefty Scott Radinsky came on to shut the Brewers down. Final Score:St. Louis 9, Milwaukee 4.

Friday, April 9
Cards Blanked By Reds. Pete Harnisch, of the Reds, threw a complete game and only allowed six singles. Darren Oliver, who started for the Cards, threw six strong innings, until Sean Cassey and Greg Vaughn connected for back to back solo home runs. The Reds picked up an insurance run in the 8th inning on another solo home run by Pokey Reese. Darren Oliver picked up his first loss of the season, while Pete Harnisch picked up his first win of the young season. Final Score: Cincinnati 3, St. Louis 0.
St. Louis, now (2-2), is in a first place tie with Houston and Chicago(NL).

Saturday, April 10
Cards beat the Reds 4-2 with the help of starter Jose Jimenez, who did not earn a decision. The Cardinal rookie pitched seven innings and allowed the Reds just six base hits and a walk, while yielding two earned runs. He recorded just three fly ball outs, out of the 21 outs he recorded, and struck out four.
The Reds took an early lead in the first on a two out solo shot by first basemen Sean Casey. The homer was the first allowed by Jimenez since he arrived in the majors (22 ip). The Reds took a 2-0 lead in the third when Barry Larkin singled to right scoring Jeffrey Hammonds, who had doubled.
Meanwhile, Red starter Brett Tomko had a no-hitter into the fifth inning, until Cards backup catcher Alberto Castillo doubled to left center. Joe McEwing followed with a line drive triple past former Cardinal Dmitri Young in right-center field. With the Red lead cut to 2-1 Jimenez stepped to the plate, conferred with Cardinal third base coach Rene Lachemann for several minutes, and drove the ball through the right side of the infield scoring McEwing.
The score remained tied until the 8th, when starter Brett Tomko handed the game over to the bullpen. Scott Williamson started the inning by walking Placido Polanco and giving up a single to J.D. Drew. Manager Jack McKeon then brought in John Hudek, who proceded to walk Mark McGwire loading the bases for Eric Davis. Davis lined a two-run single past a drawn-in infield and into center, giving the Cards a 4-2 lead. Juan Acevedo, who came on in the 8th to get Greg Vaughn out to end the inning, pitched a perfect 9th to gain his first win of the season and the save. Final Score St. Louis 4, Cincinnati 2.

Sunday, April 11
Reds win game 4-2 and win weekend series 2-1 over the Cardinals. The first of the Cards only two runs came in the 1st inning on McGwires second shot of the season. Reds starter Jason Bere didn't allow another run until the 5th, as he pitched 6 1/3 innings for the win. The Reds tied the score in the 4th on a solo shot by Reds shortstop Barry Larkin. The Cards took the lead again when Joe McEwing singled, was moved over to second on an Osborne sacrifice bunt, and scored on a triple by Placido Polanco. The Reds struck back in the 6th, Donovan Osbornes last inning of work. Jason Bere started the rally with a no-out single, followed by a Mike Cameron single. Barry Larkin then flied out to right field for the first out of the inning. Hal Morris then doubled, scoring Cameron and Bere, and reached third on an error by the left fielder. Greg Vaughn then stepped to the plate and drove in Morris with a one-out single. Osborne got Dmitri Young to ground out to short and Johnson to fly out to right field, to end the inning. Danny Graves came on in the 6th with two outs and pitched 2 1/3 innings to collect the save. Jason Bere picked up the win, while Osborne collected his first loss of the season. Final Score: Cincinnati 4, St. Louis 2.