Sosa a Hit With Fans at Practice

Sammy Sosa rejoined the Chicago Cubs and put on a fan-pleasing show during batting practice Monday, scattering long drives to all parts of Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Sosa has two games left on a seven-game suspension for using a corked bat. His explanation was that he used the bat to put on a show for fans in batting practice and mistakenly used it in a game.

He was a hit Monday with the fans, some of whom wore Sosa jerseys. He hit numerous drives into the seats in right-center, the same spot where his 500th homer landed on April 4.

Sosa is expected to return to the lineup in the third game of the series Wednesday. He declined interviews when he arrived at the ballpark.

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New York Met catcher Mike Piazza said he is making progress in his rehabilitation for a severely strained groin but gave no timetable for his return to the Mets.

“Without [giving] a timeline, I feel I’m ahead of schedule, personally,” Piazza said. “It’s responding well and I’m encouraged.”

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A man was awarded $475,000 in damages from the Chicago Cubs for a lawsuit stemming from a melee that broke out in the Wrigley Field stands more than three years ago.

A Cook County jury sided with Ronald Camacho in the lawsuit he filed against the Cubs about 10 months after he was mobbed by visiting Dodger players and arrested for disorderly conduct, said Gregory Adamski, Camacho’s attorney.

The fight, in May 2000, broke out after a fan grabbed the cap of Dodger catcher Chad Kreuter and ran off with it. Kreuter gave chase, and several teammates followed him into the stands.

Camacho made a comment to Kreuter who responded by choking the construction worker, Adamski said. Camacho settled a lawsuit against the Dodgers claiming neck injury for $300,000 in January 2001.

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The Toronto Blue Jays claimed right-handed pitcher Scott Service off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks and sent right-hander Mike Smith to triple-A Syracuse.... The Florida Marlins put reliever Tim Spooneybarger on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to last Thursday, because of tendinitis in his right arm.... The Chicago White Sox sent catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. to triple-A Charlotte for an injury rehabilitation assignment.