The Associated Press

ST.

Saturday, September 30, 2000

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Pat Hentgen became the latest St. Louis starter to get hit hard before the playoffs as Osvaldo Fernandez pitched the Cincinnati Reds past the Cardinals 8-4 Saturday.

Fernandez (4-3) allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings.

The Cardinals scored four times in the ninth. Mark McGwire had a pinch-hit, RBI single and Carlos Hernandez hit a three-run homer.

Hentgen (15-12) allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings.

Jason LaRue had a two-run homer in the fourth, singled and scored three runs for the Reds. Brian Hunter had two singles, stole two bases, scored twice and walked twice.

Sean Casey also drove in two runs with an RBI single in the first and a run-scoring groundout in the third.