Mac Hits No. 58, 59 vs. Marlins

Two gone, two to go for Mark McGwire.

Big Mac hit a pair of home runs for the second consecutive night Wednesday against the Florida Marlins, giving him a career-best 59. He needs just two more to tie Roger Maris' 37-year-old major-league record.

"Quite amazing, isn't it?" McGwire said.

He homered in the seventh inning against Brian Edmondson and again in the eighth on the first pitch from Rob Stanifer. Each was a two-run homer, helping the St. Louis Cardinals win 14-4.

The first homer, which landed halfway up in the upper deck in left field, was estimated at 497 feet, making it the third-longest in the history of Pro Player Stadium. The second homer 30 minutes later was to left-center and traveled an estimated 458 feet.

It was McGwire's eighth multihomer game this season and the 51st of his career. With 23 games remaining, he's on a 69-homer pace.

Maris hit 61 in 1961. With another two-homer performance, McGwire would tie the record Friday when the Cardinals begin a three-game series at home against Cincinnati, but he declined to speculate about his chances.

"Let's not look so far ahead and just take what today has given us," he said.

McGwire hit two two-run homers Wednesday night and now needs two homers to tie Roger Maris' home-run record. (AP)

McGwire broke Hack Wilson's 68-year-old NL record of 56 home runs with two Tuesday. His latest power display came hours after Sammy Sosa hit No. 56 for the Chicago Cubs.

"Sammy's a September player, so you have to watch out for him," McGwire said before the game. "It's crunch time -- time to make history."

McGwire denies that he's competing with anyone, but his past seven homers have come on the same day Sosa hit a homer.

"It's just a coincidence," McGwire said. "Some things are unexplainable, right?"

The Cardinals slugger surpassed his career best of 58 homers last year -- 34 for Oakland and 24 for St. Louis. The only players to hit more home runs in a season were Maris and Babe Ruth, who hit 60 in 1927. Ruth hit 59 in 1921.

McGwire has surpassed Ruth's major-league record of 114 homers in consecutive seasons, set in 1927-28.

The Cardinals first baseman again feasted on the worst pitching staff in the National League. In the seventh he golfed a 2-1 pitch that was low and inside, then pumped his right first as he trotted toward first base.

"The pitch was probably three inches off the ground," McGwire said. "I amazed myself that I went down and got it."

Mark McGwire takes a curtain call after hitting his career-best 59th home run in the eighth inning Wednesday night. (AP)

A standing ovation from the crowd of 45,170 lasted for about a minute, prompting a curtain call by McGwire.

There was another curtain call -- the fourth in two nights -- after his homer in the eighth. Then McGwire was taken out of the game by manager Tony La Russa.

The game attracted more than 400 members of the media, the largest following yet for McGwire's home-run chase.

In his first three at-bats, McGwire grounded into a double play, walked twice and scored on pitcher Kent Mercker's grand slam. Mercker (9-11) allowed two earned runs in seven innings.

"We had a hell of a game tonight, oh by the way," McGwire said with a smile.

Jesus Sanchez (6-8) took the loss. Mark Kotsay hit his ninth home run for the Marlins, who lost their seventh game in a row.

The Cardinals won their fourth straight.

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