JUPITER, Fla. (AP) _ The St. Louis Cardinals went through four pitchers in a game of survival Friday that ended in a 4-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

The first three St. Louis runs were scored on a sacrifice fly, a double play and an error. Only the final tally in the seventh inning was driven in conventionally as Edgar Renteria singled home Placido Polanco.

``It was just one of those games,'' Baltimore Manager Mike Hargrove said. ``It happens in spring training. If it was two or three weeks into the season, there would be reason for concern.''

Cal Ripkin scored the Orioles only run on a two-out bases loaded walk to Delino DeShields in the second inning.

``We were pitching on the edge today,'' St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa said. ``The bad news is that we were pitching into trouble. The good news was that we got out of it.''

Andy Benes reported stiffness in his right shoulder during the game, only a day after the Cardinals traded away 18-game winner Kent Bottenfield.

``It's stiff, not sore, sort of a dead arm thing that happens in the spring,'' he said. ``I just had trouble getting loose and didn't execute my pitches well.''

Benes gave up five hits and three walks in three and a third innings. He had shut out Montreal on two hits and a pair of walks in four innings last Saturday.

Mark Thompson, Mike James and Mike Mohler followed Benes. James retired the Orioles in order in the seventh, Mohler in the ninth.

After hitting homers in his last three games, Cards slugger Mark McGwire was 0-for-3 on three fly balls Friday.

Outfielder Jim Edmonds, acquired by St. Louis Thursday, may start for the team as early as Saturday, La Russa said.