June 7, 2000
Drew powers Cards past Royals

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Mark McGwire was out of the lineup, so J.D. Drew supplied the power.

Drew homered twice for his first long balls since May 8, helping the St. Louis Cardinals rally from a four-run deficit to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Tuesday night.

His three RBI, which helped end the Royals' three-game winning streak, also matched his total since May 9.

"He flashed a lot of power," manager Tony La Russa said. "He has so much life in his bat if he gets it on the barrel, great things can happen."

Drew hit two home runs in his first start of the season, on April 6, and homered in consecutive games April 9-10. Since then, it's been a waiting game.

"I don't think about it," Drew said. "I've taken some lumps here and there, but I'm just trying to stay on top of things and stay positive. It was just a matter of seeing it and hitting it."

The fans have been patient with Drew, the team's first-round pick in 1998. They wanted Drew, who hit a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run homer to straightaway center in the fifth, to make a curtain call after his second long ball.

"I haven't been here but a year," Drew said. "It's neat to see, but I don't feel worthy of a curtain call. McGwire is worthy of a curtain call."

The Cardinals won for only the second time in seven games with McGwire, Fernando Vina and Ray Lankford, all sidelined by hamstring injuries. McGwire, who missed his 12th game of the season, and Vina were hurt Monday, and Lankford was injured Saturday. They aren't expected back before Friday.

McGwire, singing along with the clubhouse sound system as he dressed after the game, declined to comment on his injury. His replacement at first base, Larry Sutton, hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.

Sutton was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day.

"It's great to come in here the first game and see my name in the starting lineup," Sutton said. "That put a big smile on my face, and to contribute in a situation like that it's a big boost."

Andy Benes (5-3) survived a four-run third, retiring 12 in a row later in the game. The Royals had five hits in a six-batter span in the inning, including a two-run double by Mike Sweeney and RBI doubles by Jermaine Dye and Joe Randa.

"We let him off the hook," the Royals' Jermaine Dye said. "We had them were we wanted them, but he stayed in there and pitched pretty good."

Benes allowed four runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings, with six strikeouts and one walk.

"It was just a matter of making a little bit better pitches," Benes said. "I have over 10 years experience on my side and I'm relaxed because I'm at a place I want to play."

Dave Veres got the last five outs for his 10th save in 13 chances.

Dye was 1-for-3 with an RBI double, but his streak of consecutive games with home runs was stopped at four. Dye, who has 18 homers, tied the team record Monday night.

"I'm not a home-run hitter, I just go out there and play," Dye said. "If it goes over the fence, it goes over the fence. I leave it to Mark McGwire and guys like that."

With the score tied at 4, Jim Edmonds doubled off Jay Witasick (1-5) leading off the seventh and advanced on Eric Davis' groundout. Sutton, who played for the Royals from 1997-99, drove him in with his third RBI of the season.

Royals starter Chris Fussell allowed four runs and five hits in five innings. Only one of his six walks hurt him, with Davis aboard for Drew's second home run.

"Location is usually the problem with me," Fussell said. "I think I've got pretty good stuff. I had better stuff today than I've had the last couple of starts."

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