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Cubs Lead Marlins, 8-0 (3 Innings)

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 October 2003, 06:00 CDT

Sammy Sosa and Mark Prior gave the Wrigley Field fans plenty to cheer as the Chicago Cubs jumped to an 8-0 lead over the Florida Marlins after three innings in Game 2 of the NL championship series Wednesday night.

Sosa hit a monster two-run homer off Brad Penny in the second inning, almost clearing the camera booth in the second tier of bleachers in center field. Prior had four strikeouts, including two as he escaped a jam with runners at second and third and no outs in the second inning.

Aramis Ramirez also homered, and Randall Simon had two RBIs for the Cubs.

Penny, pitching on three days' rest after working 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief Saturday, didn't even make it out of the third inning. He was pulled after facing two batters in the third, matching the shortest outing by a Marlins starter in the postseason.

Penny gave up seven runs and seven hits in two-plus innings.

Reliever Nate Bump didn't fare much better, giving up two two-out runs before finally striking out Mark Grudzielanek to end the third inning.

The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and haven't been to one since 1945, and the city is in a frenzy at the possibility of baseball's lovable losers ending nearly a decade of futility.

Sosa elated Wrigley Field fans Tuesday night when he homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 8. The Marlins went on to win that game, 9-8 in 11 innings, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

But it didn't take Sosa long to get the park rocking again Wednesday. With two outs in the second and the Cubs already up 3-0, Sosa sent a 1-1 pitch from Penny high into the center field bleachers. It hit the back of the camera booth and dropped into the stands, setting off a mad scramble for the ball.

Fans started chanting, "SAM-MY! SAM-MY!" and many bowed to him. The cheers grew louder until Sosa popped his head out of the dugout for a curtain call, waving his helmet at the fans.

Since returning from the disabled list on Aug. 4, Prior has gone 11-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 12 starts - including a two-hit complete game against Atlanta in Game 3 of the division series last Friday.

Prior allowed four hits in the first three innings, but the Marlins threatened only once. Juan Encarnacion led off the second with a double and took third on a single by Jeff Conine.

But Prior struck out Alex Gonzalez and Penny. Then, with Cubs fans on their feet, Prior retired Juan Pierre on a popup to second. As the ball settled into Grudzielanek's glove, the crowd roared and Prior punched the air with his right fist.

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