Back spasms forced Mark McGwire to leave Saturday night’s game. Jerry Manuel shared his pain.
“The guy hit so many (home runs) against us, I guess he got sore,” Manuel said after the 8-6 loss. “That’s the only way we can get him out of the game.”
McGwire felt tightness in his lower back after James Baldwin struck him out in the first inning. He was replaced at first base by Shawon Dunston. The injury is not considered serious, but he is doubtful for the Cardinals’ game against Minnesota on Sunday.
McGwire was bothered by bad feet early in his career and has had to guard against back problems in recent years. He generally manages to play through pain, however, missing only 16 games the last three seasons.
McGwire has hit eight homers in the last 13 games, including three in the first two games of the Sox series. He is second in the National League with 31 homers, three behind Sammy Sosa.
Sosa and McGwire are on pace to hit 63 and 55, respectively. Those are the same type of projections that stirred a nation last summer, but they are not stirring as much hysteria this year.
“Definitely the same magic is not there,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “It’s almost unbelievable. But you usually get what you deserve. By the end of the summer, if they keep going like this, they’ll get people talking.”
With home runs off Jaime Navarro and Bill Simas on Friday, McGwire raised his career total to 488. McGwire, who stands to become the 16th player to hit 500, has 250 homers in the last five seasons. He and Babe Ruth are the only hitters to average 50 over five-year stretches.
McGwire needs to hit seven more this season to make this the most prolific run by a power hitter. Ruth hit 256 from 1926 through 1930.
On the bubble: A pitcher will be taken off the roster when Pat Daneker is activated Monday, and it appears almost certain to be one of the Sox’s three left-hander relievers. None have been effective recently, and Manuel admits he has little faith in Scott Eyre and rookie Todd Rizzo.
“I just haven’t had a chance to get those guys in that (tight) situation,” said Manuel, who did not pitch Eyre in the St. Louis series. “‘It’s tough because you don’t know what you’re going to get.”
No alibis: Because of the complications of an interleague schedule, the Sox traveled Saturday night for the first time anyone could remember. They play a day game Sunday in Milwaukee.
Manuel plans to skip batting practice, but otherwise will make no other concessions because of the quick turnaround.
“One thing about the big leagues is we have the convenience of a charter plane and we stay in the best hotels,” he said. “I didn’t want to use this as an excuse.”
Pine time: Manuel played Liu Rodriguez at shortstop and Craig Wilson at third base for the second game in a row. It marked the fourth game that Mike Caruso has been benched and the second for Greg Norton.
