Gift to Robinson- A second win

JUPITER, Fla. -- Howard Battle hit a two-run double in the eighth inning Saturday to give Frank Robinson his second win as the Montreal Expos' manager, a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

With the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, Battle's drive off Les Walrond bounced over the center-field fence to make it 4-2.

"It was a big hit for us, but we expect people like that to produce when they get the opportunity," Robinson said. "They have to catch my eye."

Woody Williams, who helped pitch the Cardinals into the postseason last summer, gave up one run and two hits in two innings.

"I would like to have gone three innings and I'm disappointed that I didn't pitch my way out of the second inning a little quicker," Williams said.

Williams had a 7-1 record and a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts for St. Louis after being acquired from San Diego on Aug. 2 in a trade for outfielder Ray Lankford. Williams was 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in September. In his last six starts, he was 5-0 with a 0.94 ERA and three complete games.

"I still have a ways to go," Williams said. "That's what spring training is for, to iron out problems. It was definitely something to build on. It could have been worse."

Montreal pitchers allowed eight hits, stranding six, striking out nine and walking only one.

Calloway makes it a tie

Ron Calloway homered in the third for Montreal and St. Louis tied the game at 2 in the fifth when J.D. Drew doubled home Mike Coolbaugh.

Tino Martinez, in his first appearance with the Cardinals, hit an RBI grounder and struck out twice. Martinez, signed from the Yankees to replace Mark McGwire, missed the Cardinals first two games with a blister on his right hand.

The two teams were scheduled to play here again Sunday, with Rick Ankiel of the Cardinals starting against the Expos' Javier Vazquez.

It will be Ankiel's first start of the spring. After winning 11 games in 2000, Ankiel self-destructed in the postseason. He started in St. Louis last April but by the end of June he was in rookie ball where he had a 5-3 record with a 1.33 ERA in 14 starts at Johnson City, Tenn., of the Appalachian League.

"We will be looking for the same from him as we have our first three starters," La Russa said, "and that's to throw good stuff and make good pitches."