Sammy Sosa smiled as he was asked, on the 12th anniversary of his major-league debut, if he still gets excited playing before a huge crowd.
“Every day,” Sosa replied. “You have to understand. This team is in first place. It’s not about home runs. It’s about winning.
“Yes, this was special today. We wanted the crowd to enjoy [this]. This crowd can turn on anybody.”
Playing before 40,604 fans, Wrigley Field’s biggest crowd of the season, the Cubs put on a virtuoso performance Saturday.
They beat the American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins 11-4 for the club’s 12th straight home victory, two short of the team record.
The Cubs hit five home runs for the first time this season. Sosa hit two homers in the 46th multihomer game of his career.
In a four-run first inning, the Cubs hit three homers as they knocked out Twins starter Brad Thomas (0-1) in two-thirds of an inning.
Sosa homered with Miguel Cairo on base in between solo shots by Eric Young and Ricky Gutierrez.
Sosa singled home a run for a 5-0 lead in the third and made it 6-0 in the fourth with his 19th home run of the season.
Joe Girardi’s two-run homer in the four-run fifth help build the lead to 10-0.
The game was so lopsided that after five innings winning pitcher Jon Lieber (7-4) had thrown only 61 pitches, while Thomas (0-1) and two Twins relievers had thrown 124. Sosa upped his RBI count for the day to five when he drove home pinch-hitter Julio Zuleta with the Cubs’ final run with a deep sacrifice fly to right field in the seventh inning.
“I’m not surprised at what Sammy did. I watch him day in and day out,” Cubs manager Don Baylor said. “That’s the way he plays.
“He plays hard every day, no matter what the score. He’s right on the verge of one of those hot streaks.”
Informed of his manager’s words, Sosa played down the individual streak.
“Barry Bonds’ situation and my situation are different,” said Sosa of the majors’ home-run leader. “God bless him. But I’m not thinking about home runs. I’m playing to help us win this division.
“That involves pretty much everything. The starting rotation. The bullpen. Taking walks. Taking the pitcher deep into the count. Making plays like the double plays we’ve made in this series.”
Gutierrez hit his second homer in the two games since he returned after missing a week due to headaches.
Gutierrez also singled and doubled Saturday.
“Maybe I should get bumped in the head again,” Gutierrez said jokingly.
“Yes, this crowd pumps us up. We want to win so they can go home happy.”
