Sosa Slumps, Cubs Pull Even With Mets

	Sammy Sosa collided with Brewers catcher Bobby Hughes. Sosa remained in the game. (Reuters)

By Ric Bucher
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 23, 1998; Page C1

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 22 – Mired in what he called his worst slump of the season, the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa today conceded the home run title to the St. Louis Cardinals' Mark McGwire.

"I have to say he is the one that is going to finish a little higher than me," said Sosa to a room packed with reporters before the Cubs opened a two-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium. "But you have to remember my situation is a little different. I've got to give of myself and find a way to win the last five games that we have."

Sosa certainly tried to do that in tonight's 5-2 win and still wound up going 0 for 4, extending his hitless streak to 21 at-bats and striking out twice. He tried three different bats.

"I was pretty much trying to change my luck, but I can't find it right now," Sosa said. "Every time they throw my pitch, I'm missing. I haven't been missing all year."

McGwire also did not hit a home run tonight, so he still leads with 65, with Sosa two behind.

Nevertheless, the Cubs' victory tied them with the New York Mets for the National League wild-card berth as the Mets lost to Montreal, 5-3. Cubs Manager Jim Riggleman took it as a positive sign that the Cubs were able to win without Sosa making a major contribution, adding, "When Sammy is struggling a little bit, he still walks up to the plate like the pitcher is in trouble. He's going to come out of it and he's going to come out of it with power."

A second-inning rally began with Sosa milking a walk out of left-hander Bill Pulsipher (Fairfax High). After a double by Gary Gaetti, Sosa scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Mickey Morandini. Sosa beat Marquis Grissom's throw by sliding his left foot between catcher Bobby Hughes' legs, but Hughes inadvertently kneed Sosa in the groin, leaving him sprawled face-down in the dirt. The multitude of Cubs fans who made the 90-mile drive from Chicago groaned in horror and then chanted "Sammy! Sammy!" until he walked gingerly back to the dugout.

"He hit me in the wrong part of the body," said Sosa with a mischievous grin.

Sosa is trying to be more selective, but he struck out twice. The first came when he looked at a wicked breaking ball on the inside corner from Pulsipher. The second came after Sosa hooked reliever Al Reyes' first pitch just past the left-field foul pole. Two pitches later he struck out, futilely trying to check his swing on a chest-high fastball.

Sosa has repeatedly said over the last month that he is more committed to helping the Cubs make their first postseason appearance in nine years than finishing ahead of McGwire and thereby claiming the game's all-time single-season home run record, previously held by Roger Maris with 61. But this was the first time Sosa has conceded the race, even though he has four games left and has belted 10 of his 63 home runs against the Brewers.

"Right now he's swinging the bat much better than me," said Sosa, referring to McGwire. "My situation is I'm trying to forget about the home-run race."

Cubs outfielder Glenallen Hill, one of Sosa's closest friends, said that Sosa has been distracted since the Cubs and Cardinals met Sept. 7 for a two-game series in St. Louis. That was particularly evident over the weekend as Sosa went hit-less in 17 at-bats and the Cubs were swept by the Cincinnati Reds.

"Sammy's kind of a macho-type guy who would never admit that the added media affected his game, but how could it not?" Hill said. "He just didn't want to admit that, but to me it was very evident. It was very draining. Sammy's a big strong guy and when strong guys get tired they swing harder. They swing harder because they feel tired and in order to feel good they have to generate energy, which can create bad habits."

Hill last saw Sosa go to the plate committed to driving the ball hard rather than putting it in the seats in a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates just before the Cubs went to St. Louis. Sosa had two opposite-field home runs against the Pirates, but since then hasn't had much success against anyone other than the Brewers and has pulled almost everything, an indication that he's over-swinging. He's had five home runs in the last 14 games, four of them against the Brewers, only one not to left field.

"I think Sammy is frustrated and disappointed," Hill said. "I think he's focusing on this series and trying not to do too much, because that's what the team needs right now. [Conceding the home-run race] may be his way of getting back to that. After the Pittsburgh series, he got into a few bad habits. His swing got pretty long. I think he just wants to give himself every opportunity to come through in situations."