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GAME LOG
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Every time Kirk Rueter pitches in Busch
Stadium, it feels like a homecoming.
Rueter, from nearby Hoyleton, Ill., outdueled Garrett Stephenson
in the San Francisco Giants' 4-1 victory over the St. Louis
Cardinals on Wednesday night, allowing a run on four hits in seven
innings. He also raised his record in St. Louis to 5-0 with a 2.06
ERA in seven career starts.
"I love coming back to St. Louis and being around all my family
and friends," said Rueter (5-4), who left 45 passes. "It's always
going to be special because I grew up coming to the ballpark and
rooting like crazy for the Cardinals.
"Every time I get to pitch in Busch Stadium, I treat it as an
honor."
It was another quiet night for Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, the
1-2 home run hitters in the majors with 26 and 25. Bonds, who
struck out all three times Tuesday, was 1-for-3 and hit by a pitch.
McGwire, whose next homer will tie him with Mike Schmidt (548) for
seventh place on the career list, singled in the first, walked
twice and popped out.
Doug Mirabelli was in an 0-for-13 slump before leading off the
eighth against Stephenson with his fifth home run, a drive that
barely cleared the left-field wall. It was his first homer since he
hit two on April 18.
"I thought about pinch-hitting for him, but I changed my
mind," manager Dusty Baker said. "I said, 'No, he's going to hit
one out of here.' "
Baker wasn't sure why he thought Mirabelli was about to homer.
"Why do you think anything," he said. "You just think it.
Heck, he ain't hit one since April, so I can say it every day
almost and be right."
The Giants added another run when Jesse Orosco hit J.T. Snow
with two outs and the bases loaded. Marvin Benard singled home a
run in the ninth to make it 4-1.
Stephenson (9-3) allowed three runs on five hits in 7 1/3
innings with seven strikeouts and a walk, losing for the first time
to an NL team. He has lost three of four starts, and was 8-0 before
losing interleague games to Cleveland and Detroit on June 3 and
June 9.
"I won a couple of games early that maybe I should have lost,"
Stephenson said. "It just so happens that I lost a game that maybe
I should have one. What goes around comes around."
Stephenson, who entered the game 0-for-23 at the plate, drove in
the Cardinals' only run with a two-out bloop single in the second
that barely eluded first baseman Snow and right fielder Ellis
Burks.
Stephenson was 6-for-88 for his career (.068) before getting his
second career RBI. The hit drove in Eric Davis, who led off the
inning with a double that made him 18-for-40 against left-handed
pitching.
"I just threw the ball out there and it fell in," Stephenson
said. "I can't really do much of anything else."
Curiously, manager Tony La Russa had Mike Matheny bunt with one
out in the seventh ahead of Stephenson, and then let him bat.
Stephenson grounded out to end the inning.
"He was pitching a couple-hitter and there were two outs," La
Russa said. "I thought he was the guy to stay in the game."
After that hit, Rueter didn't allow another one until Ray
Lankford singled to start the seventh. Robb Nen worked the ninth
for his 11th save in 15 chances.
The Giants got their first hit off Stephenson in the fifth, a
leadoff double by Snow, and he scored on Rich Aurilia's sacrifice
fly to the wall in center. Jim Edmonds, who climbed the wall to rob
Burks of a home run Tuesday, had another nice effort with an
over-the-shoulder catch, banging into the wall a few steps later.
Game
notes
Rueter, who's 50-31 with the Giants, has allowed four
earned runs in 19 2/3 innings his last three starts. ... The
Cardinals were averaging 6.8 runs for Stephenson, second-best in
the majors. ... The loss was only the second in nine games for the
Cardinals, who held their 6 1/2 game lead in the NL Central as
Cincinnati lost. ... Orosco left the game after the eighth with
swelling in his left elbow. He could be headed for his second trip
to the disabled list, both for the same problem.
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RECAPS
Boston 9
NY Yankees 7
Toronto 6
Detroit 0
Cleveland 8
Chi. White Sox 6
Texas 7
Minnesota 5
Anaheim 3
Kansas City 1
Oakland 10
Baltimore 3
Seattle 8
Tampa Bay 5
Chicago Cubs 8
Atlanta 1
Colorado 6
Cincinnati 4
Florida 5
Milwaukee 4
Pittsburgh 8
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 10
NY Mets 5
Los Angeles 7
Houston 6
San Francisco 4
St. Louis 1
Arizona 11
San Diego 8
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Cardinals' Garrett Stephenson looks to pitch an entire game regardless of his performance
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