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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 notes
Bere 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.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Chicago Cubs Clubhouse
RECAPS
Kansas City 8
Detroit 5
Detroit 10
Kansas City 6
(2nd game)
Oakland 10
Anaheim 3
Seattle 13
Texas 5
Baltimore 8
Toronto 2
Tampa Bay 12
NY Yankees 4
Boston 8
Chi. White Sox 6
Minnesota 10
Cleveland 6
NY Mets 4
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Arizona 3
Houston 10
St. Louis 5
Chicago Cubs 3
Milwaukee 2
San Francisco 5
Los Angeles 2
Montreal 17
Florida 7
Pittsburgh 2
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Colorado 9
San Diego 4
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