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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- On a day when he had only average control, Pat
Hentgen was thankful for some timely hitting and defense.
"The pitchers on this team don't feel they have to throw a
shutout for us to win, and that gives us all a lot of confidence,"
Hentgen said Monday after pitching seven shutout innings in the St.
Louis Cardinals' 4-2 victory over the Montreal Expos.
|  | | Edgar Renteria's bases-clearing triple gave the Cardinals enough offense to beat the Expos. He has a career-high 66 RBI. |
"I can't say enough about the big hit today and the big
defense," Hentgen said. "I also got the kind of break you have to
have sometimes when you don't have your best stuff."
The break was a strikeout by Vladimir Guerrero with the bases
loaded in the third inning. Guerrero, who had six hits in his seven
previous at-bats, swung at a pitch that was high and outside, then
was ejected after arguing he had stopped his swing.
Guerrero struck out on a 3-2 pitch when plate umpire Mike Van
Vleet ruled that he had swung. Guerrero argued the call and was ejected.
"That was definitely a ball he swung at, and it was a
tremendous break for me that he did," Hentgen said. "I got lucky,
I wasn't going to give him anything to hit there."
The timely defense was provided by catcher Mike Matheny, who
threw out two runners. Montreal had runners in every inning against
Hentgen.
"When I cut down on my high leg kick it gives Mike a chance to
throw them out and he did it twice today," Hentgen said. "It's
hard to measure how big those plays were."
Hentgen (14-10) allowed seven hits and three walks as St. Louis
moved a season-high 21 games over .500.
"I felt like I was very average, but they hit some balls right
at people," he said.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was impressed his team didn't
take the Expos lightly after sweeping three from the New York Mets.
"We talked about it before the game," La Russa said. "We
wanted to make sure that we didn't take this team for granted. We
showed them a lot of respect."
Expos starter Javier Vazquez (8-7) was upset about the two walks
he issued that loaded the bases for Edgar Renteria, who tripled.
"The walks killed me," Vazquez said.
The Cardinals have won 15 of their last 19 and are 4-0 on the
homestand. The Expos have lost eight of 11 and are a season-low 22
games below .500.
Renteria's triple off Vazquez came in the fourth inning after a
leadoff single by J.D. Drew and walks to Eric Davis and Ray
Lankford loaded the bases with two outs. Renteria has a career-high
66 RBI.
Vazquez gave up three runs, four hits and five walks in six
innings and struck out 10. He is 1-3 in his last 11 starts with
seven no-decisions, and has not won since July 23.
"I haven't gotten a win in a while, but I'm not pressing," he
said. "I just go out every five days and go after it."
Guerrero's replacement, Fernando Seguignol, hit a two-run homer
in the eighth off Andy Benes, making his first appearance since
going on the disabled list with an inflamed knee Aug. 19. Dave
Veres got four outs for his 26th save in 31 chances.
Matheny extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games with
a two-out single in the eighth that drove in Fernando Tatis.
Game notes
The Cardinals promoted reliever Gene Stechschulte and OF
Luis Saturria from Double-A Arkansas. ... About 10 Cardinals had
sideline passes for the Broncos-Rams game Monday night. ...
Montreal's Jose Vidro is in a 1-for-15 slump.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Montreal Clubhouse
St. Louis Clubhouse
Big Mac could be back soon -- as pinch hitter
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