Tampa Bay Devil Rays @ Chicago Cubs - June 3, 2003 - Sammy Sosa, Jeremi Gonzalez, Rocco Baldelli

Описание: The first game between The Beloved and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays is a memorable one as the Cubs rally from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth. The Cubs mount the comeback without the services of Sammy Peralta Sosa who gets ejected from the game in the bottom of the first inning for accidentally using his corked batting practice. Sammy, the wonderful man and prodigious slugger, felt obligated to entertain the fans during batting practice so he corked a bat to hit longer and more titanic home runs. In truth, Sammy was only guilty of being too nice and a showman and did not deserve the 8-game (later appealed down to 7) suspension. One-time blond stud and former Cubs great Jeremi (he wasn't yet going by Geremi) Gonzalez threw the 1-2 pitch that resulted in Sammy breaking his batting practice bat. Sammy's very understandable accident unfortunately overshadowed a pretty damn entertaining game and a great pitching performance by the one-time blond stud (98 season) and Cubs starter Mark William Prior. Neither Gonzalez or Prior factor in the decision however as the Cubs tie the game in the eighth and then win it in the ninth on a wild pitch to score Troy O'Leary, who oddly enough replaced Sammy. Mike Remlinger pitched a very rocky ninth but wound up getting the win in front of a very subdued crowd of 32,210. The celebration would grow, however, a few minutes after the game when fans walking to their cars or the train station were able to see Sammy's post-game press conference in which he explained he simply picked up the wrong bat. Thank you Sammy for entertaining the fans in batting practice. You are too kind. No. 21 should be retired and you should be in the HOF.


Box Score: https://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...