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  Friday, Sep. 8 8:05pm ET
Big Mac's replacement makes costly error
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The mere sight of Mark McGwire in the lineup wasn't quite enough to inspire the St. Louis Cardinals.

McGwire came off the disabled list and struck out in his only at-bat since July 6, then watched the Milwaukee Brewers rally for four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat St. Louis 6-5 on Friday night.

Then, as planned, McGwire was pulled and replaced by Craig Paquette. In the ninth, Paquette's two-out error on a grounder by Ron Belliard allowed the winning run to score.

First baseman Will Clark said that it was a good at-bat for McGwire, who fouled off three pitches.

"You can't draw any conclusions from one at-bat when he's missed as much time as he has missed, but I thought he had a few good passes," Clark said. (Jeff) D'Amico painted a curveball in on the last pitch, so you tip your cap to D'Amico. But he had two good passes on those fastballs."

D'Amico, who beat the Cardinals on Aug. 11, said that McGwire's appearance was just part of the game.

"I wanted to get him out, obviously," D'Amico said.

Paquette, making his seven start at second, was filling in for regular second baseman Fernando Vina, who's sidelined by bruised ribs.

The Brewers stopped a three-game losing streak, coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the ninth against Dave Veres (2-4) and Mike Timlin.

It was the first time the Cardinals had lost all season when leading after the eighth inning. They had been 69-0 in those situations.

"That was a tough one tonight," La Russa said.

Mark Loretta had an RBI groundout and Angel Echevarria's RBI single made it 5-4. Timlin relieved and an infield hit by Jose Hernandez loaded the bases with two outs.

Jeromy Burnitz followed with another infield single that tied it. Belliard hit a grounder up the middle that Paquette did not field cleanly, letting the winning run score.

Curtis Leskanic (6-3) got the victory.

Rick Ankiel stopped Milwaukee on one run and four hits for six innings. He struck out five and walked two, and also hit an RBI single.

The Cardinals got to D'Amico for five runs and six hits in the fifth.

Fernando Tatis and Edgar Renteria singled and one out later, Ankiel blooped a single that made it 1-all. With two outs, Paquette hit an RBI double, Jim Edmonds doubled home two runs and Clark hit an RBI single.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first when Geoff Jenkins was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Hernandez's two-out single.

Burnitz hit an RBI double in the eighth.

Game notes
Jenkins was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the third. He had a bruised left forearm after being hit by Ankiel's pitch and was listed as day-to-day. ... Vina missed his fifth straight game and probably will sit out the next two against the Brewers. ... Brewers catcher Henry Blanco is out with a strained right shoulder and could miss the three-game series. ... Marquis Grissom had three hits for Milwaukee.

 


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Baseball Scoreboard

St. Louis Clubhouse

Milwaukee Clubhouse


McGwire makes brief return to lineup vs. Brewers


RECAPS
NY Yankees 4
Boston 0

Chi. White Sox 5
Cleveland 4

Toronto 3
Detroit 0

Texas 6
Kansas City 5

Anaheim 2
Baltimore 1

Tampa Bay 4
Oakland 0

Minnesota 4
Seattle 2

Houston 13
Chicago Cubs 10

Cincinnati 0
Pittsburgh 0

Pittsburgh 3
Cincinnati 1

(2nd game)

Arizona 2
Florida 1

Philadelphia 2
NY Mets 0

Atlanta 3
Montreal 2

Milwaukee 6
St. Louis 5

Colorado 8
Los Angeles 5

San Diego 10
San Francisco 7