Sosa: one run, 3 strikeouts and a loss
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 17, 1999
The Associated Press
Blown away early by a 100 mph fastball, Sammy Sosa eventually caught up with Randy Johnson.
Tuesday, August 17, 1999
Blown away early by a 100 mph fastball, Sammy Sosa eventually caught up with Randy Johnson.
Sosa hit a 456-foot shot for his 47th home run, tying him with Mark McGwire for the major league lead Monday night in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 10-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Last season, on his way to 66 homers, Sosa also hit No. 47 on Aug. 16. But he’s ahead of that pace – he’s reached the mark in 117 Cubs games this year, compared to 124 games last year.
”I don’t feel pressure. I have to say I know what to do,” Sosa said. ”I don’t go up there every day expecting to have a great game. I hit a home run, but I also struck out three times. That’s just part of the game.”
Sosa struck out in five straight at-bats against Johnson before connecting in the sixth inning at Bank One Ballpark. Sosa fanned in his final at-bat against the Big Unit, too.
”You’ve got to strike him out 10 or 15 times to equal a distance on a home run like that,” Johnson said. ”But I think we have a mutual respect for one another, just like me and McGwire. He knows what I’m capable of doing and I know what he’s capable of doing, and we’ve gotten to see both sides of that.”
Johnson fanned 11 in eight innings, and reached double-digits in strikeouts for the sixth straight start.
Johnson leads the majors with 284 strikeouts, 99 behind Nolan Ryan’s single-season record. If he stays on his regular schedule, he’ll get nine more starts.
Along with lowering his NL-leading ERA to 2.58, Johnson (12-8) hit a two-run double over Sosa’s head in center field.
Matt Williams hit a pair of two-run homers and Steve Finley also homered for the West-leading Diamondbacks.
Mets 4, Padres 3
Edgardo Alfonzo homered in the 10th inning and New York limited San Diego to two hits.
Rookie Octavio Dotel, trying to pitch the first no-hitter in Mets’ history, held the Padres hitless until Phil Nevin’s three-run homer in the seventh.
Mike Piazza homered for the fourth straight game and Rickey Henderson also connected. The Mets won their sixth in a row against San Diego.
Astros 2, Brewers 0
Jose Lima improved to 8-0 lifetime against Milwaukee as Houston won at the Astrodome.
Lima and Billy Wagner combined on a two-hitter as the Brewers were shut out for the second straight day.
Astros third baseman Ken Caminiti came off the 60-day disabled list and went 0-for-3. But outfielder Derek Bell strained his left groin muscle and was expected to go on the DL.
Cardinals 4, Phillies 3
Craig Paquette got the big hit at Busch Stadium for the second day in row, connecting for a three-run homer in the sixth inning that sent St. Louis over Philadelphia.
A day earlier, Paquette got a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Cubs 6-5. In 13 games since being acquired from the Mets on July 31, he has four home runs and 12 RBIs.
McGwire went 0-for-3 with a walk. Still, he stayed on pace with his record 70-homer season.
Braves 14, Rockies 6
Eddie Perez hit a pair of two-run homers and Jose Hernandez had five RBIs as Atlanta romped at Coors Field.
Hernandez, Brian Hunter and Gerald Williams also homered for the Braves. Greg Maddux (15-6) won his fifth straight decision.
Bobby Jones (6-10) gave up five runs in the first inning. After the game, Colorado sent him down to the minors.
Giants 7, Expos 4
Barry Bonds hit his 18th home run and a double, leading rookie Joe Nathan and San Francisco over visiting Montreal.
Nathan (3-2), recalled from the minors earlier in the day, gave up three hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Tony Armas Jr. (0-1) lost in his major league debut. Acquired as part of the trade that sent Pedro Martinez to Boston, he allowed one earned run in six innings.
Marlins 7, Dodgers 5
Preston Wilson, who leads major league rookies with 20 home runs, hit a grand slam as Florida won at Dodger Stadium.
Down 3-2, Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning. But Trenidad Hubbard was called for interference on Eric Young’s grounder, resulting in a double play, and Dodgers manager Davey Johnson was ejected for arguing second-base umpire Mike Winters’ ruling.