rockin500
04-04-2003, 02:59 PM
NEW YORK -- Sammy Sosa may have gone 0-for-New York in his pursuit of career homer No. 500, but it's no big deal.
"I could not do it here so I'm going to go to Cincinnati and see if I have better luck there," Sosa said after the Chicago Cubs edged the New York Mets, 6-3, Thursday to take the three-game series.
Sosa and Moises Alou each drove in three runs to support Mark Prior and lift the Cubs to the win.
"You want to win series," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "The guys responded."
Especially Sosa, who hit a two-run single in the first and an RBI single in the third against the Mets. The focus now shifts to Cincinnati, where the Cubs play a three-game series at the new Great American Ballpark, beginning Friday.
"They didn't give me nothing good to hit," Sosa said. "What can I do? I've got to pack my bags and go to Cincinnati."
"Sammy had a big game," Baker said. "He hasn't hit a home run but he's got four, five (RBIs) and that counts."
"I'm not disappointed," Sosa said. "I'm at 499. Any minute, any time, I'm going to hit another home run. It's only three games in the season. One thing I like is that we're winning and I'm helping out the ballclub. This is my game."
Sosa went 2-for-3 Thursday and had one last chance in the eighth. Mets reliever Scott Strickland fell behind 2-0 to Sosa and opted to intentionally walk him with one out and a runner at third. Alou then grounded out to drive in the run.
"That's the right thing to do," Baker said of the intentional walk.
Prior (1-0), making his first start, struck out seven over six innings, the longest outing by a Cubs starter so far. The 22-year-old right-hander, beginning his second big-league season, gave up one run on four hits and two walks.
"I've always been impressed with him," Baker said. "He's just going to get better and better."
It was quite the New York experience for Prior, who had a chance to meet fellow USC pitcher Tom Seaver. The Hall of Famer made a point of introducing himself to the young Cubs pitcher.
"He's one of the biggest names to come out of 'SC," Prior said. "It's an honor to meet him."
Prior has been compared to Seaver, but he couldn't quite gauge that.
"The only time I see him pitch is when I see him on film," Prior said of Seaver. "It's not like when I watch Roger Clemens or Nolan (Ryan). There's never, 'Oh, I'm pitching like Tom Seaver.' I know he's a power pitcher and threw the ball really well. He pitched off his fastball and I think pretty much every power pitcher does that."
That fastball came in handy in the sixth. Prior was tiring, but still had enough to strike out Jeromy Burnitz and end the sixth.
"I was able to pitch mostly with my fastball today, which helped," Prior said. "I was spotting it well. When I got in trouble, I could throw my changeup, which got me out of trouble."
Sosa came through in the first against Mets starter Steve Trachsel (0-1). Mark Grudzielanek doubled to lead off and Alex Gonzalez singled and advanced on a wild pitch. Sosa then singled to left to drive in both and make it 2-0.
The Mets closed to 2-1 in the second on Rey Sanchez's run-scoring groundout.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the third on singles by Prior, Grudzielanek and Gonzalez. Sosa then hit a sharp single to third and Ty Wigginton threw from just across the line to first baseman Jay Bell who appeared to tag Sosa. But first base umpire Bill Welke called him safe and Prior scored.
Alou followed with a double to left, driving in a pair of runs, and Sosa tried to score on the hit, but was thrown out at home.
The Cubs bullpen has given up just two runs in 12 innings over the first three games of the season.
"There's no worries," Prior said of turning the game over to the pen. "We all get along, we're all pulling for each other."
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/news/chc_gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20030403&content_id=256247&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp
"I could not do it here so I'm going to go to Cincinnati and see if I have better luck there," Sosa said after the Chicago Cubs edged the New York Mets, 6-3, Thursday to take the three-game series.
Sosa and Moises Alou each drove in three runs to support Mark Prior and lift the Cubs to the win.
"You want to win series," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "The guys responded."
Especially Sosa, who hit a two-run single in the first and an RBI single in the third against the Mets. The focus now shifts to Cincinnati, where the Cubs play a three-game series at the new Great American Ballpark, beginning Friday.
"They didn't give me nothing good to hit," Sosa said. "What can I do? I've got to pack my bags and go to Cincinnati."
"Sammy had a big game," Baker said. "He hasn't hit a home run but he's got four, five (RBIs) and that counts."
"I'm not disappointed," Sosa said. "I'm at 499. Any minute, any time, I'm going to hit another home run. It's only three games in the season. One thing I like is that we're winning and I'm helping out the ballclub. This is my game."
Sosa went 2-for-3 Thursday and had one last chance in the eighth. Mets reliever Scott Strickland fell behind 2-0 to Sosa and opted to intentionally walk him with one out and a runner at third. Alou then grounded out to drive in the run.
"That's the right thing to do," Baker said of the intentional walk.
Prior (1-0), making his first start, struck out seven over six innings, the longest outing by a Cubs starter so far. The 22-year-old right-hander, beginning his second big-league season, gave up one run on four hits and two walks.
"I've always been impressed with him," Baker said. "He's just going to get better and better."
It was quite the New York experience for Prior, who had a chance to meet fellow USC pitcher Tom Seaver. The Hall of Famer made a point of introducing himself to the young Cubs pitcher.
"He's one of the biggest names to come out of 'SC," Prior said. "It's an honor to meet him."
Prior has been compared to Seaver, but he couldn't quite gauge that.
"The only time I see him pitch is when I see him on film," Prior said of Seaver. "It's not like when I watch Roger Clemens or Nolan (Ryan). There's never, 'Oh, I'm pitching like Tom Seaver.' I know he's a power pitcher and threw the ball really well. He pitched off his fastball and I think pretty much every power pitcher does that."
That fastball came in handy in the sixth. Prior was tiring, but still had enough to strike out Jeromy Burnitz and end the sixth.
"I was able to pitch mostly with my fastball today, which helped," Prior said. "I was spotting it well. When I got in trouble, I could throw my changeup, which got me out of trouble."
Sosa came through in the first against Mets starter Steve Trachsel (0-1). Mark Grudzielanek doubled to lead off and Alex Gonzalez singled and advanced on a wild pitch. Sosa then singled to left to drive in both and make it 2-0.
The Mets closed to 2-1 in the second on Rey Sanchez's run-scoring groundout.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the third on singles by Prior, Grudzielanek and Gonzalez. Sosa then hit a sharp single to third and Ty Wigginton threw from just across the line to first baseman Jay Bell who appeared to tag Sosa. But first base umpire Bill Welke called him safe and Prior scored.
Alou followed with a double to left, driving in a pair of runs, and Sosa tried to score on the hit, but was thrown out at home.
The Cubs bullpen has given up just two runs in 12 innings over the first three games of the season.
"There's no worries," Prior said of turning the game over to the pen. "We all get along, we're all pulling for each other."
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/news/chc_gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20030403&content_id=256247&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp