After whacking his 60th home run Tuesday night, Sammy Sosa deserved to drive home with a smile on his face and a sense of satisfaction in his heart.
But like so many of Sosa’s glorious moments this season, the game’s final score tarnished this one.
The Cubs blew a three-run lead and lost 5-4 to Cincinnati on Adam Dunn’s ninth-inning home run off Kyle Farnsworth.
The loss, coupled with St. Louis’ 5-1 victory over Milwaukee, officially eliminated the Cubs from playoff contention.
“It’s disappointing, to say the least,” manager Don Baylor said. “This was a good night, but we should be celebrating a better night.”
Sosa’s every move Tuesday was met with anticipation by the Wrigley Field crowd of 35,220.
Fans cheered when he stepped to the batter’s box in the first inning and booed when left-hander Lance Davis threw three consecutive balls.
But Sosa found Davis’ 3-1 fastball to his liking and drove it into the back of the left-center field bleachers. The 32-year-old slugger became the first player in major-league history to reach the 60-homer plateau three times.
“It’s nice,” Sosa said. “I’m not going to complain about it, but I can’t sit back and think about that right now. I still have a lot of years in my body. I have to keep performing and trying to win.”
Sosa had gone 16 at-bats since hitting his 59th homer, against Houston on Sept. 27.
“I was getting a little anxious because everyone in the whole world was waiting for me to [hit No. 60],” he said. “When I was rounding the bases I was thinking of everything that I’ve been through. I felt great for my family and my people.”
By driving in his 150th run, it marked just the seventh time someone has reached 50 homers and 150 RBIs. Sosa, who also did it in 1998, is the only player to accomplish that feat since World War II.
The homer also gave Sosa 98 extra-base hits, breaking Hack Wilson’s club record.
Sosa has homered three times in three games this season. The Cubs are 1-2 in those games.
Gordon done: Closer Tom Gordon will not pitch again this season because of tendinitis in his right shoulder.
“He’s been out too long to even consider [a return],” Baylor said.
Gordon’s last appearance came Sept. 5, when he gave up a game-winning homer to Florida’s Preston Wilson. Gordon complained of elbow soreness shortly thereafter.
When he remarked Sept. 20 that “I have to make a good decision because I don’t want to hurt my team and I don’t want to hurt myself,” it was clear that he was contemplating shutting it down for the season.
Now it’s official.
Gordon was not at Wrigley Field for Tuesday’s game. The team didn’t specify the cause of his absence, saying only that it wasn’t related to his injury and that he was expected back Thursday or Friday.
Team guy: Money and playing time are not at the top of Delino DeShields’ priority list. Contributing to a winning team is.
So DeShields might turn down a richer deal to re-sign with the Cubs next season.
“If that was the scenario, it would be tough to leave,” he said. “At this point in my career, the money is not the thing for me. I set a number of years in my mind, and that’s what I’m trying to achieve. I want to get 15 years; that’s the magic number.”
DeShields, a 12-year veteran, could emerge as the team’s starting second baseman if the Cubs don’t re-sign Eric Young.
Or DeShields could return as a left-handed hitter off the bench.
“It’s not that I don’t think I can play [every day], but if that’s what this team would want me to do. . . . I know that I can handle it,” he said. “And with this club I wouldn’t have a problem with it.”
Labor issues: Joe Girardi, the Cubs’ union representative, figures to have a busy off-season. In more ways than one.
Girardi and wife Kim are expecting their second child–and first son–in early November. He will not be named Joe Jr.
“Even though he’d have an easy time living up to my name,” Girardi said jokingly.
Home-run history
70: Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals, 1998
69: Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2001
66: Sammy Sosa, CUBS, 1998
65: Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals, 1999
63: Sammy Sosa, CUBS, 1999
61: Roger Maris, N.Y. Yankees, 1961
60: Babe Ruth, N.Y. Yankees, 1927
60: Sammy Sosa, CUBS, 2001
