Tie-tanic: Sosa, McGwire Collide on 66

By William Gildea
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 26, 1998; Page E1

HOUSTON, Sept. 25 – The Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa took the home run lead tonight – but only for a matter of minutes.

Sosa hit his 66th home run of the season off fastballing right-hander Jose Lima leading off the fourth inning at the Astrodome, but 45 minutes later his pioneering partner, the Cardinals' Mark McGwire, responded in St. Louis with his 66th to keep pace in their record-breaking single-season home run race.

Sosa's blast was the highlight for the Cubs as right-hander Kevin Tapani failed for the second time to win his 20th game, giving up five runs over six innings in the Houston Astros' 6-2 victory. Losing for the fifth time in six games, the Cubs remained deadlocked in their National League wild-card chase with the New York Mets, who also lost, to the Braves in Atlanta.

Sosa, sensing that his long drive was headed for the seats, took a happy jump step while discarding his black bat and watched with the crowd of 51,831 as the ball rocketed far over the left field fence and into the seats. It was measured at 462 feet.

The fan who grabbed it immediately left the stadium. The rest of the fans, on their feet for the at-bat, roared with delight at the result, as Lima's head drooped. They applauded for so long that Sosa stepped back onto the turf to wave his cap in appreciation.

The fans in right field made Sosa feel as if he were back at Wrigley Field by giving him another standing ovation when he trotted out to his position in the bottom of the inning. Sosa again waved thanks. The warm response was similar to the one Sosa received Wednesday in Milwaukee when he hit his 64th and 65th home runs. Sosa, asked before the game about the reception he's been receiving everywhere he goes, replied: "I love America."

After the game, Sosa said he was in no way disappointed that McGwire had tied him at 66. "See my face," he said, grinning, as scores of reporters jammed around him in a room next to the Cubs' clubhouse. "I'm not in a race with anybody. I'm just trying to do my job. I felt great when I hit mine and when Mark McGwire hit his. I saw it" on an Astrodome screen.

Sosa said he was more concerned about the Cubs shaping up in their final two games. Once more he smiled and said: "If we can get some help from Harry Caray," the Cubs' broadcaster who died before the start of the season, "we can go out there and play much better."

Except for Sosa's home run, it was a bleak night for the Cubs. Sosa popped to second and grounded to shortstop in his other at-bats against Lima, and in the ninth inning took a called third strike on a fastball from left-hander Billy Wagner. Once more down the season's stretch, shabby pitching hurt the Cubs.

The Astros' Derek Bell hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Tapani never found his groove. The Cubs managed a tie on a bases-empty shot by Tyler Houston in the second and Sosa's blast. But after that they were checked by Lima (16-8), who could be the Astros' number three pitcher in postseason behind Randy Johnson and Shane Reynolds.

Houston added single runs in the fourth through seventh innings, with Moises Alou sending the Astros on their way with an RBI single in the fourth. Since Johnson joined the Astros, they have been a tough team to beat. They went 22-7 in August and have now gone 14-8 in September in the first season they have ever won 100 games.

Brant Brown, whose dropped fly ball in the ninth inning Wednesday cost the Cubs the game in Milwaukee, had trouble of a different sort tonight. In the second inning a huge pigeon, which somehow gained entry to the Astrodome, swooped down on Brown and circled around his head. The crowd roared and Brown threw his cap at the bird, which then perched on the outfield fence before disappearing.

Sosa said he intended to phone McGwire when their home run race is over.

"I've got his number. After this year, I'll call him. I'll say, 'How great was 1998 for us?'‚"

And then with great laughter, Sosa added: "Maybe we can go on vacation together where nobody will recognize us."