Mcgwire Clouts His 54th Homer

National League

Mark McGwire dealt the Pittsburgh Pirates a blow, hitting his 54th homer to help the visiting St. Louis Cardinals rally to win 6-5 in 11 innings Friday night.

McGwire’s drive tied the score 5-5 in the sixth. Rookie Eli Marrero won it with his second homer of the season - a leadoff drive in the 11th off Rich Loiselle (1-5). McGwire has nine games to tie Roger Maris’ record of 61, set in 1961.

McGwire, playing in Three Rivers Stadium for the first time, hit his 20th homer in 42 games for St. Louis. The 54 homers is the most since 1961, when Maris set the record and Yankees teammate Mickey Mantle hit 54.

Giants 7, Padres 4 San Diego

Barry Bonds homered for the third consecutive game, and San Francisco took over sole possession of the N.L. West lead.

Rockies 6, Dodgers 4 Los Angeles

Colorado’s Jeff Reed hit two solo homers and Vinny Castilla scored the go-ahead run on Hideo Nomo’s wild pitch.

Marlins 5, Mets 2 Miami

Al Leiter pitched eight shutout innings and Florida reduced its magic number for clinching its first playoff berth to four.

Marlins catcher Charles Johnson made his first passed ball this season.

Reds 5, Astros 4 Cincinnati

Cincinnati piled up 11 hits off starter Chris Holt, three by Willie Greene, and kept Houston’s magic number at seven.

Jeff Shaw has a save in each of his last 15 appearances, the third-longest streak in N.L. history.

Braves 2, Expos 1 Atlanta

John Smoltz pitched a five-hitter as Atlanta lowered its magic number for clinching the N.L. East to four.

Phillies 10, Cubs 5 (5-1/2) Chicago

Rookie Scott Rolen and Rico Brogna hit back-to-back homers as Philadelphia scored in each of its six atbats in a rain-shortened victory. Midre Cummings tripled twice for the Phillies, who avoided their 100th loss.

Clearing the bases

McGwire has homered in 26 of the 30 big-league parks he has played in, including 17 this season. His 106 homers the past two seasons equal Jimmie Foxx’s 1932-33 big-league mark for homers by a right-handed batter in consecutive seasons. … Montreal’s Mark Grudzielanek’s 54th double tied the record for shortstops set last year by Seattle’s Alex Rodriguez. … The Pirates commemorated the 25th anniversary of Roberto Clemente’s final season, having his widow, Vera, throw out the first pitch.