Dominican Sammy Sosa batted his 45th and 46th home runs yesterday in the game in which the Chicago Cubs defeated the San Francisco Giants 8-5. During the game, Dominican Henry Rodríguez also batted a home run. Sosa tied St. Louis Cardinals Mark McGwire, previously the Major League’s leading slugger. Sosa hit a fifth-inning pitch over the left-field fence and continued his power surge in the seventh inning with a shot over the center-field fence. It was Sosa’s eighth multi-homer game of the season. Sosa is one of three contenders – Mark McGwire and Greg Vaughn San Diego Padres – to break the long-standing Roger Maris record of 61 home runs. Sosa is only one home run away from breaking the record of 47 home runs for a Latin American ball player. The record is jointly shared by Dominican George Bell, Puerto Rican Igor González and Venezuelan Andres Gallaraga. Sosa is also a strong contender to win the Most Valuable Player of the National League.
