Prior retires first 13 batters

Updated: Jun 5, 2004, 07:12 am

CHICAGO (AP) -- Mark Prior pitched as if he'd been around all

season. His fastball was buzzing, his curveball was dipping across

the plate and batters were having difficulty getting hits.

Public appearance gone awry

CHICAGO -- Mark Prior spent more time in his postgame news

conference Friday talking about an appearance at a suburban store -- there were reports that he didn't fulfill his obligations -- that went awry

than he did about his successful return to the Chicago Cubs.

"It was a very unfortunate incident last night and I'm sure we haven't heard the last of it," Prior said. "Ugly situation. Would I have wished it didn't happen? Yes. Did

it happen? Yes."

Prior said he made a commitment in February or March before he knew he would be on the disabled list to sign 300 autographs at the store, some of them on miniature replicas of Wrigley Field.

He said when he got to the store Thursday night he was asked to do something else -- a meet-and-greet session in which he posed for pictures.

"I signed up to do 300 autographs and that's not what it was

last night," said Prior, adding he was not aware there would be

media coverage of the event the night before he pitched.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Prior left the session an

hour early, disappointing many customers who came to see him,

including some children who left crying.

"We're at the point where we'll probably have to take legal

action," part-owner Brandon Donofrio told the Sun-Times. "He

kicked all the press out, then he stopped doing the signing. He

said there were too many people. This is a nightmare. All my

customers are mad at me because he wouldn't sign something."

But Prior said he met his commitment by counting the photos as

part of the required number of autographs and then fulfilling the

quota by signing miscellaneous items.

Prior said he'd only been paid a small fee so far and would

prefer to call the entire episode off, but was unhappy that it had

become an issue about his character.

"They can have a gripe with me all they want, but I didn't do

anything wrong," Prior said.

-- Associated Press

After two months on the disabled list, Prior's season debut was

a huge success. But even his sterling six-inning performance Friday

couldn't carry the struggling Chicago Cubs to a victory.

"It felt good to be out there. I'm not going to lie. I had some

anxiety going and probably a little nervousness going into it,"

Prior said after allowing just two hits and getting a no-decision

as Pittsburgh rallied past the Cubs 2-1.

"I think I got a little gassed right there at the end, the last

two or three hitters," Prior said of his 85-pitch performance, 55

for strikes.

Prior walked none, struck out eight and showed no signs of the

Achilles tendon and elbow soreness that kept him out of the rotation.

"You can't duplicate the intensity and the adrenaline you get at

this level," Prior said.

"I doesn't matter how many rehab starts you have. I was

probably a little drained because of the excitement of pitching in

a big league game."

The Pirates took some of the excitement of the day away when

they rallied for two runs in the ninth.

Jack Wilson doubled off Joe Borowski (2-4) and scored on Craig Wilson's two-out single to tie it. Pinch-hitter Chris Stynes then

hit a go-ahead single off Mike Remlinger.

"Anytime you're facing Prior, you know it's going to be

tough," Jack Wilson said. "He had his stuff on, he was throwing

hard. He's only going to get better."

Salomon Torres (4-1) got the win and Jose Mesa pitched the ninth

for his 14th save as the Pirates ended a five-game losing streak.

"To come in against Prior, that's going to be tough from the

first pitch. We definitely needed this win after dropping five in a

row," Wilson said.

Jose Macias doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth and

reached third before Mesa retired the final two batters.

With his socks pulled up high, Prior retired leadoff hitter

Jason Kendall on a grounder on his first pitch and threw only five

more to get out of the first inning.

His fastball hitting the mid-90s, Prior retired the first 13

batters before Rob Mackowiak singled to center with one out in the

fifth.

Mackowiak stole second and looked on his way to breaking a

scoreless tie when Tike Redman singled to left. But Moises Alou

made a perfect throw to catcher Michael Barrett, who held on for

the out despite a jarring collision with Mackowiak.

Pirates starter Josh Fogg was just as good, allowing just four

hits in seven innings.

Fogg, facing the Cubs for the fourth time this season, pitched

out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by striking out Todd Hollandsworth and getting Barrett on a fly ball.

Alou doubled with two outs in the eighth off Brian Meadows and

after Aramis Ramirez was walked intentionally, Hollandsworth

greeted John Grabow with a single to center to give the Cubs a 1-0

lead.

Alou made a great catch on Kendall's liner to start the ninth,

ending the Pirates catcher's hitting streak at 20 games.

Prior's return has the talk of Chicago since he came down with

his injuries in spring training. His teammates were as excited as

anyone watching him pitch at Wrigley for the first time since he

lost Game 6 of the NL Championship Series last year.

"There was a lot of energy because Mark was pitching," Cubs

manager Dusty Baker said.

As Prior was finishing his bullpen warmups before Friday's game,

a crowd of four Cubs, including reliever Francis Beltran, watched

his pitches as they reached the plate. Once Prior finished, they

extended high-fives before he headed for the dugout.

Prior caused a stir the night before his season debut when he

left an autograph session at a suburban store earlier than

expected, disappointing some fans and the store owner.

Prior spent 15 minutes during his post-game news conference

explaining his side of the controversy, saying he went to sign

autographs only to find out he was being asked to meet and greet

fans and pose for pictures the night before he was supposed to

pitch. It was a commitment he made months ago.

"It's been an interesting 24 hours for myself," he said. "I'm

very happy it's over. I'm very disappointed we didn't pull this one

out."Game notes
RHP Kerry Wood, who's on the disabled list, will play catch

and long toss Friday to test his sore triceps. ... The crowd of

40,024 increased the Cubs' home attendance mark this season to

1,020,213 for 26 dates -- the quickest they have ever reached 1

million. Last season they got to 1 million in 30 home dates.