67-68! McGwire Raises Magic Number

No mammoth 435-foot hits here. Only a puny 180-foot one.

No numbing records here. Only one chilling victory.

No history here. Only integrity.

Sammy Sosa told us, and told us, and told us, that the National League playoff chase was more important to him than the home run chase.

On the day when a lesser man might have finally, despairingly taken it all back, he said it even louder.

Amid the thunder of Mark McGwire’s two home runs, Sosa’s teammates and town heard only the slap of his little single, a bouncer to left, in the eighth inning that led to him scoring the go-ahead run in the Chicago Cubs’ 3-2 comeback victory over the Houston Astros.

As the home run race was unofficially ending early, Sosa was making certain the Cubs would control their wild-card destiny for at least nine more innings.

No Babe Ruths or Roger Marises here. Only a most valuable player.

“[Friday] I hit a home run and we lost . . . today I have two hits and we win,” Sosa said, smiling. “I feel better today.”

While Sosa is no longer tied with McGwire in home runs--he trails 68-66--the Cubs are tied with the San Francisco Giants with one game remaining in what may be baseball’s most splendid season.

If the Cubs defeat the Astros and tough Mike Hampton, and the Giants defeat the Colorado Rockies and Jamie Wright, the two teams will meet Monday in Chicago for a one-game playoff that will count in regular-season statistics.

And what a sight that could be. With McGwire watching from his Southern California winter home, and the wind blowing out in Wrigley Field, Sosa will have a chance to hit two more . . . nah.

Forget it. Sosa has forgotten it. The Cubs have forgotten it.

The home run chase that has captivated the country for the last month suddenly seems very much to the Cubs like an exhibition.

This thing with the Giants--and even the New York Mets if both teams lose and the Mets win, causing a three-way playoff--is far more serious.

“[McGwire] will probably hit two more tomorrow. I hope he finishes with 70,” Sosa said. “I’ve told you he is the man.”

Considering Sosa is two for 27 lifetime with no homers against Hampton, chances are, he’ll hit none.

And if the Cubs win, he’ll laugh all the way to next week.

“Sammy will take this, he will take this,” said the Cubs’ Gary Gaetti, whose double drove in Sosa and Mark Grace with the eventual winning runs. “For the true player, the game is more important than some home-run contest,”

Under the Astrodome lights, not to mention the flashbulbs of 51,950, Sosa proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is that player.

“He’s been trying to tell you,” said the Cubs’ Rod Beck.

Beck made certain the game ended, as all Cub games have seemingly ended during their last-gasp attempt to earn their third playoff spot in 53 years, with the surreal.

Baseball’s most exasperatingly effective closer entered in the ninth inning with a two-run lead and promptly allowed it to shrink to one on Jeff Bagwell’s leadoff homer.

Moises Alou doubled into the right-field bullpen. Carl Everett’s grounder moved him to third.

Then, one out later, all Beck broke loose.

Dave Clark, a pinch-hitter, tapped the ball to Beck near the first-base line. Beck ran over and swiped at Clark with his glove. Clark lunged to the right of the baseline to avoid him.

Beck thought he had tagged him, but when he didn’t hear a call, he spun and threw the ball to first base anyway. It bounced off Clark’s back as the tying run scored.

But also, as home plate umpire Eric Gregg, lumbering down the line, raised his thumb signaling out.

The Cubs, unsure why, didn’t wait to find out. They ran inside before Gregg could change his mind.

“I still don’t know what happened,” Beck said moments later, already stripped to his underwear. “All I know is, I’ll take it. I’m here undressed. The game is over.”

Gregg later told reporters that Clark was ruled out for running out of the baseline to avoid Beck’s tag.

The Cubs are thrilled that for the 50th time this year, they have witnessed a Rod Beck save and lived to tell about it.

“He has the 50 coolest saves ever imaginable, real heart-stopping stuff,” Grace said. “I told him earlier in the year, I thought Mitch Williams retired.”

But those Mitch Williams Cubs were the old Cubs. These are the new Cubs. As Sosa proved again Saturday, these are his Cubs.

The first thing he said when asked about probably losing a home run race that has consumed his summer and could have put him in the record books forever?

“We needed somebody to get on base, that’s what I did,” he said.

Top of the fifth, Astros leading 1-0, Sosa watches from the corner of the dugout as the right-field screen shows McGwire hitting his 67th homer.

One hour later, one out in the eighth, score tied, Sosa steps in against reliever Jay Powell.

He takes two big swings, two big misses. He fouls back the next pitch. He watches a ball in the dirt. He fouls one into the stands.

Then he leans out and, with what decidedly was not a home run swing, singles.

Grace singled him to second, and one out later Gaetti knocked a ball into the left-center field gap, scoring both of them for a 3-1 lead.

One inning later, again while sitting on the bench as his team batted, Sosa sees the replay of McGwire’s 68th.

Nobody says anything to him. Nobody has to. It’s not about that. It was never about that.

Mark McGwire did something unbelievable Saturday. But perhaps he wasn’t the only one.

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Sosa’s Day

The Cubs’ Sammy Sosa was two for four with no home runs, keeping his home run total at 66 entering the final regular-season game. Here’s what he did Saturday:

First inning--Fouled out to first.

Third inning--Singled.

Sixth inning--Struck out.

Eight inning--Singled.