Sosa Hits 47th Home Run in Cubs’ Victory

Sammy Sosa hit his 47th home run and Kerry Wood had another dominating performance for the Chicago Cubs Sunday at Houston.

But it took pinch-hitter Manny Alexander’s RBI single in the 11th inning to give the Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Astros.

Sosa tied Mark McGwire for the major league home run lead and also tied Juan Gonzalez of Texas for the major-league RBIs lead at 119. That also matched Sosa’s career high, accomplished in both 1995 and 1997.

“To tell the truth, I never think about a homer,” Sosa said. “I’m just thinking of the situation and what I’ve got to do when I go to the plate.”

Sosa had gone 17 at-bats without a homer since he hit two against the Giants on Monday.

Wood struck out 11 in eight innings. He struck out 20 against Houston during a one-hitter on May 6, yielded one run and three hits, walking two.

San Francisco 3, Florida 2--Orel Hershiser won for the first time in six starts and Jeff Kent had two run-scoring doubles as the Giants defeated the Marlins to complete a three-game sweep at San Francisco.

Hershiser (9-8) survived 10 hits and a walk, giving up two runs in six innings with six strikeouts.

Philadelphia 8, Colorado 7--Bobby Estalella hit his first grand slam and Bobby Abreu added a two-run shot at Denver.

Estalella, a .185 hitter, went three for five and matched his career high with his fourth home run.

Cincinnati 8, Montreal 1--Reggie Sanders singled, doubled, tripled and scored four runs as the Reds took advantage of the Expos’ ragged play at Cincinnati.

The Expos committed their 120th error--most in the National League.

San Diego 4-2, Milwaukee 0-4--Kevin Brown pitched no-hit ball for the Padres at San Diego until Jeromy Burnitz singled with two outs in the seventh and the right-hander matched his career-high with 11 strikeouts and pitched his third shutout this year in the first game of a doubleheader.

The Brewers rallied to win the second game as Burnitz hit a two-run homer and Geoff Jenkins had a solo shot in the seventh inning against Joey Hamilton.

Arizona 6, New York 1--It was different outcomes for two former Dodger pitchers.

Omar Daal, fast becoming the ace of the Diamondback pitching staff, limited the Mets to two hits in eight innings at Phoenix.

Hideo Nomo (5-10) of the Mets gave up only three hits in five innings but walked five, two apiece in the first and fifth innings.