Sosa's 600th Highlights Win Over His Former Team

Jun 21, 01:30 AM

Current Headlines: ARLINGTON, Texas _ Sammy Sosa hopped across the plate Wednesday night just as he had so many times before, but there was no way for him to pretend this was another ordinary home run.

As Sosa's 600th homer soared toward the Texas Rangers' bullpen in right-center field, the 38-year-old slugger lifted his right arm, pointed his index finger to the sky, pumped his fist and clapped his hands.

"It reminded me of `98, when I hit 62," Sosa said. "It was a great day. I feel great because you don't see a milestone like that every day. To be coming a long way and doing that, and all the support I'm getting, it's unexplainable, but it's a good feeling."

Sosa's teammates congratulated him at the plate, and Sosa waved and blew kisses to the crowd of 37,564 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. They brought Sosa back out of the dugout for more heart-taps and kisses with chants of "Sammy! Sammy!"

Sosa's solo homer off Cubs starter Jason Marquis _ who, ironically, wears the No. 21 that Sosa wore when he hit 545 of his homers for the Cubs _ was the highlight of the Rangers' 7-3 victory, and perhaps their entire season.

"I honestly got a chill through my body, just to be a part of it, to be in the same lineup," catcher Gerald Laird said.

Michael Young, who hit ahead of Sosa in the lineup, said it was one of the most amazing moments he had seen as a Ranger.

"It's a culmination of tons of great seasons," Young said. "I couldn't be happier for the guy. It really is an incredible achievement."

The Rangers unfurled a banner in center field that read, "Congratulations, Sammy!" and listed the five members of the 600 Club: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sosa.

"It's a great joy to be there with the greatest," Sosa said. "When I'm leaving this world, at least people are going to remember me."

Sosa had homered against every team but the Cubs until Wednesday. That he was able to achieve the milestone against his former team, with the full attention of the Windy City, was a bonus for Sosa.

Sosa seemed most proud of the fact that he returned to achieve the milestone even though he was out of baseball last season. He thanked the Rangers for giving him a chance to return to the game.

"People in baseball know that I was retired for one year," Sosa said. "To put everything together and come back? That's big."

The next batter, Frank Catalanotto, hit what had to be most anticlimactic home run in Rangers history, and the Rangers took advantage of three Cubs errors on their way to victory.

Rangers starter Kameron Loe turned in a second consecutive strong outing, pitching 6 2/3 innings and allowing three runs for the win. On an ordinary night, Loe would have been the hero. But it was no ordinary night. And Sosa once again showed that he is no ordinary player.

"Everything clicked," Sosa said. "All that was incredible _ I'm never going to forget it."

___

(c) 2007, Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Visit the Star-Telegram on the World Wide Web at http://www.star-telegram.com.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

_____

PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): CUBS RANGERS

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. 1045537