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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals were a little confused on
the basepaths Wednesday but left no doubt who was in control on the
mound.
Edgar Renteria hit a disputed three-run homer Wednesday to help
Darryl Kile post his 14th win and lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a
5-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
"Darryl Kile gave us a huge effort, the kind we needed,"
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "It's always nice when a
pitcher finishes what he starts."
Renteria's 13th homer ended a five-game homerless streak by the
Cardinals, their longest of the season. Shawon Dunston also hit a
solo homer, his 10th, in the seventh.
Kile (14-8) pitched a six-hitter to become the third NL pitcher
to reach 14 wins, joining Arizona's Randy Johnson and Atlanta's Tom
Glavine, who both have 15. Kile walked two and struck out four in
his third complete game.
"When he's spotty with his command, that's when you can get
him," Chicago's Mark Grace said of Kile. "When he's got his
command, it's going to be a long day. He had very good command
today."
Sammy Sosa, the majors' home run leader at 38, was hitless in
four at-bats as the Cubs lost for the ninth time in their last 13
games.
The confusion came in the Cardinals second. Kevin Tapani (8-9)
hit Fernando Tatis with a pitch to start the inning. One out later,
J.D. Drew singled. Renteria then hit a 3-2 pitch from Tapani that
just cleared the basket rimming the left-field bleachers.
The ball came back onto the field and Drew hesitated after
rounding second base and started to go back, apparently confused
over whether the ball had gone out.
"I saw the umpire (signal home run), I saw the guy (left
fielder Rondell White) jump into the vines and I saw Jose (Oquendo,
third base coach) go `Whoa,"' Drew said. "I saw the ball fall to
the ground and I saw the umpire give the home run signal but I
picked up Oquendo and he was like `Whoa, whoa, whoa.' My first
instinct was that he was talking to me. Then I felt Renteria behind
me after I ran back."
Renteria collided with Drew and pushed him toward third and Drew
continued home. Cubs manager Don Baylor argued with second base
umpire Kerwin Danley that Renteria passed Drew and should've been
called out, but to no avail.
"I was hoping with my heart that (Renteria) ran by (Drew),"
Cubs manager Don Baylor said, "but I know he didn't."
"I didn't think he'd pass me," Drew said of Renteria. "I
think he knew not to run by me."
Oquendo was yelling at Renteria, not Drew.
"Renteria was running with his head down and luckily he pushed
J.D. forward," Oquendo said.
Tapani, who had given up just three runs in his last 20 2-3
innings, allowed five runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. He
struck out seven.
Tapani gave up two homers to raise his season total to 32,
second-most in the NL and two shy of his career high of 34 set in
1996 with the White Sox.
"Same pitch, same swing," Tapani said of the two homers, both
off high fastballs. "The first one was all they needed because of
the way (Kile) threw the ball."
With runners at first and third and one out in the fifth,
Dunston hit a single that dropped next to center fielder Damon
Buford, allowing a run to score to make it 4-0. The official scorer
originally charged Buford with an error, then changed his call
after the game.
Dunston's homer in the seventh made it 5-0. The Cubs answered in
the seventh when Joe Girardi doubled with one out and scored on
Jeff Huson's single.
"We just didn't hit at all this homestand," Baylor said. "To
walk away 1-5 (on the homestand) leaves a bad taste in your
mouth."
Game notes
St. Louis improved to 28-14 in day games, best in the
National League. ... The Cardinals have hit a league-leading 185
home runs and are on pace to break the 1998 franchise mark of 223.
... Tapani has worked at least six innings in 23 of his 26 outings.
... The Cubs finished the homestand 1-5 against Central division
foes Cincinnati and St. Louis. They were outscored 24-14. ... Game
time temperature was a much more pleasant 76 degrees compared to
Tuesday's sweltering 91.
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Baseball Scoreboard
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Chicago Cubs Clubhouse
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