NL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PITTSBURGH 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 4 7 1
CHICAGO CUBS 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 x 7 9 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: PIT - DAVID WILLIAMS, RON VILLONE (5TH), MIKE FETTERS (7TH), SCOTT
SAUERBECK (8TH) AND JASON KENDALL
CHN - MARK PRIOR, PAT MAHOMES (7TH), JEFF FASSERO
(8TH), ANTONIO ALFONSECA (8TH) AND JOE GIRARDI
WP - MARK PRIOR (1-0)
LP - DAVID WILLIAMS (2-5)
SAVE - ANTONIO ALFONSECA (7)
HOME RUNS: PIT - BRIAN GILES (9) OFF MARK PRIOR IN THE 6TH, 0 ON
CHN - SAMMY SOSA (17) OFF DAVID WILLIAMS IN THE 3RD, 0 ON
TIME: 2:49 ATT: 40,138
PROBABLES: PIT - KRIS BENSON (0-1, 6.75)
CHN - MATT CLEMENT (1-3, 4.02)
Extended BoxPITTSBURGH (4) VS CHICAGO CUBS (7) - FINAL PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Hermansen cf 4 0 1 0 1 2 1 .297 J Wilson ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .213 B Giles lf 4 1 3 1 0 1 1 .283 A Ramirez 3b 4 0 0 0 0 3 2 .244 M Benjamin pr-3b 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .174 R Mackowiak rf 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 .220 b-C Wilson ph-rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 J Kendall c 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 .261 K Young 1b 2 1 0 0 2 0 1 .202 P Reese 2b 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .206 D Williams p 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 .143 R Villone p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214 a-A Brown ph 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 .216 M Fetters p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 S Sauerbeck p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 c-A Nunez ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225 Totals 32 4 7 4 4 11 9 a-singled to right for R Villone in the 7th; b-grounded to third for R Mackowiak in the 8th; c-grounded to third for S Sauerbeck in the 9th. BATTING: HR - B Giles (9, 6th inning off M Prior 0 on, 0 Out). S - J Wilson. RBI - P Reese (9), B Giles (22), A Brown (11), J Kendall (16). 2-out RBI - P Reese, J Kendall. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - P Reese 1, A Ramirez 2, J Wilson 1. GIDP - K Young. Team LOB - 7. BASERUNNING: SB - B Giles (5, 2nd base off M Prior/J Girardi), A Brown (7, 2nd base off P Mahomes/J Girardi). FIELDING: E - K Young (4, catch). Outfield assists - C Wilson (J Girardi at 3rd base). CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Patterson cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 .299 J Girardi c 5 1 2 1 0 0 0 .263 S Sosa rf 2 3 1 1 2 0 0 .318 F McGriff 1b 4 1 2 2 0 0 0 .227 M Alou lf 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 .176 A Alfonseca p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .667 B Mueller 3b 3 0 0 1 0 0 1 .152 B Hill 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .158 A Ojeda ss 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 .172 M Prior p 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 a-C Stynes ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .191 P Mahomes p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 J Fassero p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 D Lewis lf 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .270 Totals 31 7 9 7 4 3 6 a-grounded to shortstop for M Prior in the 6th. BATTING: 2B - F Mcgriff (7, D Williams); A Ojeda (2, D Williams); D Lewis (2, S Sauerbeck); J Girardi (3, S Sauerbeck). 3B - M Alou (1, D Williams). HR - S Sosa (17, 3rd inning off D Williams 0 on, 1 Out). S - A Ojeda. SF - B Mueller. RBI - F Mcgriff 2 (27), S Sosa (28), M Alou (9), B Mueller (7), D Lewis (4), J Girardi (2). 2-out RBI - J Girardi. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - B Mueller 2, C Patterson 2. Team LOB - 7. BASERUNNING: SB - B Hill (1, 2nd base off D Williams/J Kendall). FIELDING: DP: 1 (B Mueller-B Hill-F Mcgriff). ---------------------------------------------------- PITTSBURGH - 010 001 110 -- 4 CHICAGO CUBS - 201 020 02x -- 7 ---------------------------------------------------- PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era D Williams (L, 2-5) 4 1/3 7 5 5 2 2 1 5.73 R Villone 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 6.26 M Fetters 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2.12 S Sauerbeck 1 2 2 2 1 1 0 3.32 CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era M Prior (W, 1-0) 6 4 2 2 2 10 1 3.00 P Mahomes (H, 1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 6.23 J Fassero (H, 3) 1/3 1 1 1 0 0 0 5.75 A Alfonseca (S, 7) 1 2/3 1 0 0 1 0 0 1.83 WP - D Williams. IBB - S Sosa (by D Williams). HBP - J Kendall (by M Prior); C Patterson (by R Villone). Pitches-strikes: D Williams 84-51; R Villone 18-11; M Fetters 13-7; S Sauerbeck 17-11; M Prior 103-65; P Mahomes 24-13; J Fassero 9-6; A Alfonseca 26-16. Ground balls-fly balls: D Williams 6-5; R Villone 3-2; M Fetters 2-1; S Sauerbeck 1-0; M Prior 5-3; P Mahomes 2-0; J Fassero 1-0; A Alfonseca 4-1. Batters faced: D Williams 23; R Villone 6; M Fetters 4; S Sauerbeck 5; M Prior 24; P Mahomes 5; J Fassero 2; A Alfonseca 7. UMPIRES: HP--Tim Welke. 1B--Gary Cederstrom. 2B--Brian Onora. 3B--Alfonso Marquez. T--2:49. Att--40,138. Weather: 66 degrees, clear. Wind: 18 mph, out to left.
How They ScoredCHICAGO CUBS 1ST: C Patterson struck out swinging. J Girardi singled to left. J Girardi to second on wild pitch by D Williams. S Sosa intentionally walked. F McGriff doubled to right, S Sosa and J Girardi scored. M Alou flied out to deep right, F McGriff to third. B Mueller grounded out to pitcher. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 0, CHICAGO CUBS 2. PITTSBURGH 2ND: R Mackowiak walked. J Kendall hit by pitch, R Mackowiak to second. K Young grounded into double play, third to second to first, J Kendall out at second, R Mackowiak to third. P Reese singled to right, R Mackowiak scored. D Williams struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 1, CHICAGO CUBS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 3RD: J Girardi lined out to right. S Sosa homered to right center. F McGriff popped out to shortstop. M Alou tripled to right. B Mueller grounded out to pitcher. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 1, CHICAGO CUBS 3. CHICAGO CUBS 5TH: J Girardi lined out to second. S Sosa walked. F McGriff singled to right, S Sosa to second. M Alou singled to center, S Sosa scored, F McGriff to second. F McGriff to third advancing on throw. R Villone relieved D Williams. B Mueller hit sacrifice fly to right, F McGriff scored. B Hill grounded into fielder's choice to third, M Alou out at second. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 1, CHICAGO CUBS 5. PITTSBURGH 6TH: B Giles homered to left center. A Ramirez struck out swinging. R Mackowiak struck out swinging. J Kendall grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 2, CHICAGO CUBS 5. PITTSBURGH 7TH: P Mahomes relieved M Prior. K Young walked. P Reese grounded out to shortstop, K Young to second. A Brown hit for R Villone. A Brown singled to right, K Young scored. C Hermansen struck out swinging. A Brown stole second. J Wilson grounded out to pitcher. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 3, CHICAGO CUBS 5. PITTSBURGH 8TH: J Fassero relieved P Mahomes. B Giles singled to center. A Ramirez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, B Giles out at second. C Wilson hit for R Mackowiak. A Alfonseca relieved J Fassero. D Lewis in left field. C Wilson grounded out to third, A Ramirez to second. M Benjamin ran for A Ramirez. J Kendall singled to left, M Benjamin scored. K Young walked, J Kendall to second. P Reese lined out to right. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 4, CHICAGO CUBS 5. CHICAGO CUBS 8TH: C Wilson in right field. M Benjamin at third base. S Sauerbeck relieved M Fetters. B Hill struck out looking. A Ojeda walked. D Lewis doubled to left, A Ojeda scored. C Patterson grounded out to first, D Lewis to third. J Girardi doubled to right, D Lewis scored, J Girardi out stretching at third. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) PITTSBURGH 4, CHICAGO CUBS 7.
Game StoryCHICAGO (Ticker) -- One of the most anticipated debuts in the history of the Chicago Cubs was equal to the hype. Mark Prior lived up to his billing, allowing two runs and striking out 10 in six innings, as the Cubs rolled to their third win in four games, a 7-4 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Prior was the No. 2 pick in the 2001 draft after a stellar college career, and Chicago had been awaiting his debut ever since. After making eight dominant starts in the minors, he was promoted by the fifth-place Cubs to help revitalize the team and salvage the season. Carrying the burden of being called a savior by some fans, Prior (1-0) scattered four hits and set a team record for strikeouts in a major league debut. He threw 65 of 103 pitches for strikes and walked two. "To be honest with you, I don't think it will sink in for a long time," Prior said. "My concentration will be on my next start, which will be Monday. So since we have a day game, I won't have a chance to celebrate." "This was as good game as we could have expected from Mark," Cubs manager Don Baylor said. "He kept us in the ballgame, pitched six strong innings and had the composure of a veteran pitcher out there. He is going to be a good one." Prior allowed a single to the first batter he faced but retired Jack Wilson on a sacrifice bunt and struck out the next two batters. The 21-year-old righthander was wild in the second inning, opening with a walk to Rob Mackowiak before hitting Jason Kendall. Kevin Young bounced into a double play, but Pokey Reese followed with an RBI single to bring the Pirates within 2-1. Prior also served up a leadoff homer to Brian Giles in the sixth but finished the inning and left with a 5-2 lead. "He pitched pretty well, but let's not call it the second coming off Tom Seaver just yet," Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He's got some good stuff. But let's see him go out there and prove himself before we put him in the Hall of Fame." The phenom homered in his first two at-bats and Class AAA Iowa but was hitless in his first two major league plate appearances. He struck out in the second inning and grounded out in the fourth. "You could see there was something special about him from spring training on," Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa said. "It was fun to play behind him. He was the man tonight." The rest of the Cubs had more luck against Pittsburgh starter Dave Williams. Fred McGriff hit a two-run double in the first inning and Sosa belted a solo homer off Williams (2-5) in the third. It was the second homer in as many games for Sosa, who leads the majors with 17. Moises Alou added an RBI single in the fifth inning to chase Williams and Bill Mueller followed with a sacrifice fly to give Chicago a 5-2 cushion. After Giles' ninth home run made it 5-2, the Pirates inched closer against the Cubs' suspect bullpen. Adrian Brown hit an RBI single off Pat Mahomes and Kendall had a run-scoring base hit off closer Antonio Alfonseca in the eighth. Darren Lewis extended the lead with an RBI double in the eighth and Joe Girardi followed with a two-run double to cap the scoring and ensure Prior's first major league victory. "Kerry Wood made sure there were a lot of liquid libations to celebrate afterwards," Prior said. "Most of them were poured over my head. It's a good feeling to contribute to a major league team's victory. In fact, it's a great feeling." Alfonseca recorded the final five outs for his seventh save as Chicago won for just third time in 13 games.