Cubs 9, Brewers 4MILWAUKEE -- Sammy Sosa didn't mind being on the wrong side of a triple play, not when he got to feast on his favorite pitching staff.
Sosa went 4-for-4 with a homer and a walk, scored three times and stole a base in Chicgo's 9-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
So, being on base when Benito Santiago grounded into a triple play was something Sosa could relish.
"I have to say I was there and I'm going to be there for the record book," Sosa said.
Warren Spahn, who threw the first pitch at Milwaukee County Stadium back in 1953, sent a three-hopper to the plate with the ceremonial first pitch on the final opening day at the old ballpark which will give way to Miller Park and its retractable roof in 2000.
The Brewers were even wilder, walking eight batters and hitting two more.
"I threw some bad pitches to them and they launched them," said Bill Pulsipher (1-1), who gave up five runs, five hits and three walks in three innings.
The Cubs hit four home runs, and it was no surprise one of them was by Sosa, who hit 12 of his 66 off Milwaukee last year.
"I don't know what it is," Brewers manager Phil Garner said. "He hit a changeup, he hit a fastball and he hit a sinker today. We don't have any other pitches."
Gary Gaetti, Mickey Morandini and Santiago also connected for the Cubs.
The crowd of 55,770 -- the second-largest for a Brewers game at the ballpark -- was treated nevertheless when the Brewers pulled a triple play in the seventh.
Felix Heredia (1-0) picked up the victory with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Sosa was batting .179 before going 8-for-15 over his last three games.
"I had a day I'm real happy for," he said. "I came out today and had a great day."
PADRES 3, DODGERS 0: At San Diego, the Dodgers' Kevin Brown -- baseball's first $100 million man -- returned to San Diego and was greeted by hearty boos and the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love." He gave up three hits to Tony Gwynn and was outdueled by Andy Ashby's five-hitter.
CARDINALS 5, ASTROS 3: At Houston, Mark McGwire doubled with second baseman Craig Biggio playing as a fourth outfielder, sparking a five-run rally for St. Louis.
EXPOS 6, METS 4: At New York, Dustin Hermanson allowed six hits in 7 1/3 innings and Rondell White's solo homer keyed a four-run fourth inning for Montreal.
PHILLIES 17, MARLINS 3: At Philadelphia, Bobby Abreu hit his first career grand slam and the Phillies scored their most runs in four years.
REDS 6, PIRATES 5: At Cincinnati, Hal Morris hit a two-run double off Mike Williams in the bottom ofthe ninth.
BRAVES, ROCKIES POSTPONED: At Denver, snow caused a postponement for the second time in three days at Coors Field. Friday's game will be made up Aug. 19.
DIAMONDBACKS 10, GIANTS 4: At Phoenix, the Arizona Diamondbacks hit four home runs, giving them a major league-leading 24 for the season, in a victory over San Francisco, in a game that featured a bench-clearing fight and the ejection of Arizona pitcher Todd Stottlemyre and Giants third baseman Charlie Hayes.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 6: At Toronto, Shannon Stewart singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Cal Ripken took a rare night off.
DEVIL RAYS 6, RED SOX 2: At Boston, Bryan Rekar, recalled from the minors a day earlier, pitched six scoreless innings as the Devil Rays rebounded from the worst loss in their two seasons.
TIGERS 8, YANKEES 1: At Detroit, Justin Thompson, who had the shortest outing of his career against New York last weekend, shut down the World Series champions, and Tiger teammate Gregg Jefferies hit a two-run homer.
ROYALS 7, WHITE SOX 2: At Kansas City, Mo., Jermaine Dye hit a tiebreaking three-run homer and saved three runs with a great bases-loaded catch in the outfield to lead the Royals on a cold, rainy night.
ANGELS 9, MARINERS 5: At Anaheim, Calif., Todd Greene hit his first career grand slam and Andy Sheets added a two-run homer, sending the Mariners to their fourth straight loss.
ATHLETICS 8, RANGERS 2: At Oakland, Calif., John Jaha went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs, leading the Oakland Athletics over the Texas Rangers.
TWINS, INDIANS POSTPONED: At Cleveland, the Indians were rained out for the second straight night. The game will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader today.