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Saturday, Jul. 22 4:05pm ET
Sosa extends hitting streak to 15 games | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Sammy Sosa is a happy guy these days. No trade rumors, contract hassles or criticism from his manager to worry about. And he was smiling even more Saturday after delivering the game-winning hit, an RBI single with one out in the 13th to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. "No home run today, but I got the game-winning RBI. I'll take it," Sosa said. Ricky Gutierrez drew a one-out walk against Steve Woodard (1-7) in the 13th and took second on a single by Mark Grace. Sosa hit a full-count pitch to left field. "I was thinking they were going to walk me," said Sosa, who had extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the 11th. "I have to take advantage of the opportunities." "That's all we needed," Cubs manager Don Baylor said of Sosa's single. "Sometimes in the late innings, guys try to hit home runs. I knew Sammy was locked in and that he wanted to get it over with." With the wind blowing in from the northeast at 14 mph, it was tough to hit anything out. Sosa flied out to deep left in the third inning. "The guys said after Sammy hit his that there would be no home runs today," Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes said. "I said, 'Oh, yes, there could be' if you hit a line drive like (Damon) Buford." Buford hit his 14th with two out in the seventh to tie the game at 2. "It was under the wind," Buford said. Felix Heredia (5-2) pitched two hitless innings for the victory. The Cubs won for the ninth time in their last 12 games. Glenallen Hill's jersey hung next to Sosa's locker and Sosa said he dedicated the game to his former teammate, who was traded Friday to the New York Yankees. "He's going to a great team and is going to the World Series and I'm not -- right now," Sosa said, anticipating another AL crown for the Yankees, who pursued Sosa earlier this season. "I've got a chance to finish my career here. I want to stay. (Cubs GM Andy MacPhail) knows I want to stay here." Sosa said all the trade rumors did bother him. "No human being can play with all the distractions," he said. "But I survived and I handled myself professionally. I dealt with everything the way I was supposed to deal with." The loss dropped the Brewers to a season-low 18 games under .500. "The fact of the matter is, we played as hard as we did and we came up short," Lopes said. "It makes it very frustrating." Milwaukee starter Jason Bere retired 14 consecutive batters before Buford's homer with two outs in the seventh to tie it at 2. Eric Young led off the Cubs first by reaching on an error by right fielder Jeromy Burnitz, who dropped a fly ball. Gutierrez walked and one out later, Sosa was intentionally walked to load the bases for Henry Rodriguez, who singled home Young. Burnitz tied the game with his 20th home run leading off the fourth against Scott Downs. One out later, Geoff Jenkins was hit by a pitch, Henry Blanco walked and Bere singled to load the bases. Ron Belliard hit a sacrifice fly to put the Brewers ahead 2-1. Downs gave up two runs on eight hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings, striking out four. Bere gave up two runs -- one earned -- on three hits and two walks over seven innings, striking out six. "It was a well-pitched game," Lopes said. "We had an opportunity to win the ballgame and we just let it slip away from us." Game notesBere has a 2.43 ERA at Wrigley Field, giving up nine runs in 33 1/3 innings. ... Sosa's hitting streak is the longest by a Cubs player this season. He is batting .367 with eight homers and 17 RBI during the stretch. ... The four Racing Sausages, who have performed exclusively at County Stadium, made their first road trip and raced after the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. The Italian Sausage and the Bratwurst finished in a tie. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Milwaukee Clubhouse Chicago Cubs Clubhouse RECAPS Kansas City 8 Detroit 5
Detroit 10
Chicago Cubs 3
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