Frustrated Sosa Leads Cubs Past Diamondbacks

The only dispute in the Chicago Cubs’ clubhouse after Wednesday’s game was over who hit the longer home run this season, Sammy Sosa or Glenallen Hill.

Sosa, upset with with Manager Don Baylor about what the outfielder described as negative criticism, hit a solo home run to lead the Cubs to a 9-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Sosa and Baylor planned to meet to discuss their differences. Sosa said he believed he has been unfairly criticized by Baylor since he was named manager in November.

“We’ll talk like men, not like children,” Baylor said. “This is not something I want in my clubhouse at all.”

Before the game, Sosa told reporters, “I’ve been playing here eight, nine years and I’ve been playing hard every day. I’ve been carrying baseball the last two years. Everything I’ve been doing in baseball in the city of Chicago. I don’t deserve this.”

Sosa said Baylor suggested he try to become a more “complete player” and return to his 30-30 form when he stole 30 bases in 1993 and ’95.

“You don’t criticize a player who comes here every day and plays hard,” Sosa said. “I’m still trying to find the answer why [Baylor criticized him].”

Baylor denied making the comments.

“He got some things off his chest,” the manager said of Sosa. “I never said those things.”

In the victory, Eric Young hit a solo homer as the Cubs handed Brian Anderson his first loss in 19 starts.

Hill, Damon Buford and Mark Grace each added two runs batted in for the Cubs, whose three-game sweep was their first against the Diamondbacks.

Arizona dropped its fifth in a row, its longest losing streak since the team lost eight in a row from May 5-13, 1998. The Dodgers, who defeated the Texas Rangers, 11-6, moved within 2 1/2 games of first place.

“They’re in a mini-slump right now,” Baylor said. “They’ll get it going.”

Anderson (5-1) gave up nine runs on 10 hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings in his first defeat since a 7-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners on July 19, 1999.

“He deserved much better,” Arizona Manager Buck Showalter said.

Scott Downs (3-1) won his second consecutive start, giving up three runs--two earned--six hits, one walk and three strikeouts over six innings. Todd Van Poppel pitched the final three innings for his second save.

Young hit his fifth homer to lead off the sixth to give the Cubs an 8-3 lead. Sosa followed two batters later with his 18th, a towering shot into the bleacher seats in straightaway center, to chase Anderson.

The homer was estimated at 520 feet. Hill hit one that landed on a rooftop across Waveland Avenue with a conservative guess of 490 feet.

“I know Glenallen is going to dispute the distance,” Baylor said. “One leaves the ballpark and lands on the roof and the other stays in the ballpark and is longer.”