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Thursday, Jun. 29 7:05pm ET
Kendall's hitting heroics rescue Pirates | |||||
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GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Sammy Sosa isn't going anywhere for now -- and, as usual, the Chicago Cubs aren't, either. Sosa hit a tape-measure homer not long after learning he wouldn't be traded to the New York Yankees, but the Cubs blew a late two-run lead in losing to Pittsburgh 5-4 in 10 innings Thursday night. "I've had a lot of distractions, but I just try to go out and do the best I can," said Sosa, who learned before the game the Yankees had traded instead for David Justice. "If something is going to happen, let it happen, but if it's not going to happen, let me know so I can go out and play my game." Was Sosa disappointed the long-rumored trade didn't go through? "I don't have no problem to play with anybody," Sosa said. "I don't think this is the point. For whatever reason, the deal didn't go through, and I'm probably going to stay here." Jason Kendall hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth after the Cubs' second defensive lapse of the game, then won it with a bases-loaded single through a drawn-in infield in the 10th. Kendall also stole two bases, one of which led to another run. "Everybody will remember the hit in the 10th, but the big one was in the eighth," manager Gene Lamont said. "If he doesn't hit that, we don't get to the 10th." The Pirates were only 9-16 in one-run games. Pat Meares singled with one out in the 10th off Tim Worrell (0-1) and Mike Benjamin, 3-for-6 as a pinch-hitter, blooped a double down the left-field line. Warren Morris was intentionally walked before Kendall stroked a single between third and short for his third RBI of the game. Marc Wilkins (1-0) got the victory despite walking two in a scoreless 10th inning. Brant Brown, reacquired in a trade Chicago was able to make, hit a go-ahead two-run home run, but the Cubs couldn't hold leads of 3-1 and 4-2 in losing for the eighth time in nine games. They are 2-7 on a 12-game road trip. The Cubs lost even though Sosa ended an eight-game homerless streak with a 448-foot solo drive into the center-field seats, not long after play resumed in the eighth following a 40-minute rain delay. The homer off Josias Manzanillo was Sosa's 21st, his first since June 18 against Montreal and his 150th since Opening Day 1998 -- a span of less than 2-1/2 seasons. Sosa made it 4-2, but the Pirates tied it in their half of the eighth on Kendall's two-run, two-out homer off reliever Todd Van Poppel. Kendall was batting only because shortstop Ricky Gutierrez let an apparent inning-ending grounder by Morris roll through his legs for the Cubs' second error. "I can't remember how many times that's happened to me, I throw the ball into center field with two out and they score," Kendall said. "It's just fortunate for us it worked out this time." Van Poppel retired the first five batters he faced after replacing starter Kevin Tapani, the first four on strikeouts. Tapani, 5-1 in his career against Pittsburgh, allowed two runs -- one earned -- over six innings. Brown, who rejoined the Cubs in a three-team trade June 9, broke a 1-all tie by following Jose Nieves' two-out infield single with a drive into the right field seats in the sixth off Jose Silva. Coincidentally, Brown was traded to the Pirates after the 1998 season for Jon Lieber, who pitched 7 1-3 innings Wednesday night as the Cubs ended a five-game losing streak by beating Pittsburgh 5-4. The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the third on shortstop Pat Meares' two-base throwing error on Sosa's grounder. Silva began the inning by walking Joe Girardi ahead of Eric Young's one-out single. Kevin Young hit his 11th homer in the Pirates' fifth. Kendall scored on Wil Cordero's infield single in the sixth after taking advantage of a driving rain that made throwing difficult. After walking, Kendall immediately stole second and moved on to third as catcher Girardi threw wildly. Kendall had five RBIs in the series, including two on Tuesday, for his first multiple-RBI games since May 19. "He's been struggling with men on base and, hopefully, this will get him going," Lamont said. Game notesCordero failed to start for the sixth time in seven games because of a lingering case of the stomach flu. He entered in the fourth when LF Bruce Aven left with a strained left hamstring. Lamont said Aven will probably go on the disabled list Friday. ... Tapani failed to last at least seven innings for only the second time in 12 starts. ... The Pirates, 10-16 in June, have won consecutive games only once this month. ... The Cubs are 1-5 against the Pirates. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Chicago Cubs Clubhouse Pittsburgh Clubhouse RECAPS Toronto 12 Tampa Bay 3
Pittsburgh 5
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