Sosa finally breaks his homer drought

The first Sunday of the Chicago Cubs’ 1999 season must have looked a lot like 1998 to Cub fans. Brant Brown, who dropped a fly ball that cost the Cubs a key September game last season, had

three extra-base hits and drove in three runs for Pittsburgh, and Sammy Sosa’s first home run since hitting 66 in 1998 wasn’t enough as the Pirates defeated the Cubs, 9-6, at Pittsburgh.

Sosa’s homer, a 441-foot solo shot off Mike Williams in the ninth, was only his second hit of the season. “Was it a relief? I have to say yes,” said Sosa, who led the majors with 12 homers

this spring. “In spring training, everything was there. The season started, and they’ve been pitching me a little bit different.” Brown had a two-run double in a four-run Pirate first inning

off Steve Trachsel (0-2), an RBI triple after Kevin Young’s double in the third and a double in the seventh. Brown was the Cub left fielder who dropped a potential game-ending fly ball

Sept. 23 at Milwaukee, giving the Brewers an 8-7 victory. He was traded for pitcher Jon Lieber during the off-season. “The first night [against Chicago] I was jittery and anxious,” he said.

“I just had to go out and play. That’s the nature of the business now, some players play against two or three teams they used to play for.” San Francisco 8, San Diego 6--Jeff Kent hit a

two-run homer in the fourth inning and broke a tie with a two-run single in the eighth as the Giants defeated the Padres at San Francisco. Stan Javier homered in his first two at-bats, then

singled off Roberto Rivera (1-1) and stole second to start the two-out rally in the eighth. The Giants improved to 6-1, matching their best start since 1973. The Padres have lost three of

four after opening the season 2-1. Philadelphia 2, Florida 1--Chad Ogea pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and continued his mastery over the Marlins as the Phillies won at Miami. Ogea (1-1), who

was 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA while pitching for Cleveland against Florida in the 1997 World Series, held the Marlins to three singles and no earned runs for his first National League victory.

Ogea, acquired from the Indians in an off-season trade after an injury-plagued season, struck out one and walked one. He gave up an infield hit to Mark Kotsay in the fourth and retired the

next 10 batters. Houston 5, Milwaukee 2--Shane Reynolds won his seventh consecutive decision, leading the Astros over the Brewers at Houston. Reynolds (2-0) gave up a first-inning homer to

Mark Loretta, then pitched six shutout innings. Reynolds, unbeaten in 10 starts since last Aug. 14, struck out seven and drove in Houston’s third run. Ricky Gutierrez, who left in the sixth

after straining the medial collateral ligament of his left knee and is day to day, joined Carl Everett and Craig Biggio with two hits each for the Astros, who outhit Milwaukee, 13-8. Every

Houston starter except third baseman Tim Bogar had at least one hit. New York 6, Montreal 3--John Olerud went four for five and Luis Lopez had three hits, including a key two-run single, as

the Mets won at Montreal. The Mets defeated the Expos for the third consecutive day and have won five of six since losing on opening day. Lopez singled off reliever J.D. Smart with the bases

loaded and two out in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie. Cincinnati 4, St. Louis 2--Just like on opening day, a Mark McGwire home run didn’t do much for the Cardinals at St. Louis. The 70-homer

man connected in the first inning for his first home run in 15 at-bats, but Jason Bere didn’t encounter many more problems and the Reds won. Barry Larkin homered for Cincinnati, which has 12

homers in six games, and Hal Morris and Greg Vaughn had key hits in a three-run sixth inning. BESTS OF THE DAY BATTING * Brant Brown, Pittsburgh 3 for 4, 3 runs, 2 doubles, triple, 3 RBIs

in 9-6 victory over Chicago. * Jeff Kent, San Francisco 2 for 4, homer, 4 RBIs in 8-6 victory over San Diego. * Glenallen Hill, Chicago 5 for 5, double, 2 RBIs in 9-6 loss to Pittsburgh. *

PITCHING * Todd Stottlemyre, Arizona 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, no walks, 6 strikeouts in 3-2 loss to Atlanta. * Chad Ogea, Philadelphia 6 1/3 innings, 3 hits, 1 unearned run, 1 walk in 2-1

victory over Florida. * Shane Reynolds, Houston 7 innings, 7 hits, 1 run, 7 strikeouts in 5-2 victory over Milwaukee. MORE TO READ