Sosa helps Cubs even series with a 12-3 rout of Marlins

His 495-foot home run highlighted Chicago's easy victory.
CHICAGO (AP) -- Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs were cruising when Marlins reliever Michael Tejera slipped into the game almost unnoticed in the eighth inning.
Right away, he caught everyone's attention. Tejera slipped on his first pitch and the ball flew crazy, sailing sideways over Florida's first-base dugout.
Considering how the Cubs have been hitting, that was about the safest place for him to throw it.
Sosa struck again Wednesday night, launching a 495-foot shot that highlighted the Cubs' four home runs in a 12-3 romp that evened the NL championship series after two games.
"I've been lucky. I've been seeing good pitches and I've hit them out," Sosa said.
Gonzalex hits pair
The Cubs put on a startling display of power at the plate and on the mound. Alex Gonzalez homered twice and Aramis Ramirez also connected, and the Cubs built a 11-0 lead after five innings for Mark Prior.
"Playoff games aren't necessarily a chance to work on things. But I got a chance to work on my changeup," Prior said.
Sosa, meanwhile, perfected his power stroke, producing a drive that got Wrigley Field roaring.
"I was so happy that I had a chance to produce," he said. "As soon as I put the swing on the ball, the ball was out of the ballpark."
There was no telling how far it might go as it sailed over the juniper bushes in dead center field. There's no telling how far he might carry the Cubs, either.
"This is the prime time to do it," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "He really hasn't had a hot streak all year. It seems when he does, he hits a home run every at-bat.
"I'm hoping it's on the way. Boy, it's coming right on time," he said.
A day after he tied Game 1 with a two-out, two-run shot in the ninth for his first postseason home run, Sosa hit a two-run drive in the second inning that went even farther.
Almost out of park
Sosa launched a drive that soared over the ivy-covered wall, sailed above the shrubbery that serves as a batter's backdrop and threatened to fly completely out of the park. Only a television camera booth kept the ball from becoming a street souvenir.
Following the Marlins' 9-8, 11-inning win in the opener when the teams combined for an NLCS-record 17 extra-base hits, hitters again wore out the gaps and corners.
This time, the big hits went in Chicago's favor and so did the little ones. Lofton tied an NLCS mark with four hits, all singles.
The Cubs have 20 runs and 27 hits in the two games, not exactly what most people expected in a playoff series between teams with young, strong pitching staffs.
"The ball is jumping here," said Mark Grudzielanek, who had two of the Cubs' 16 hits. "It's flying the best I've ever seen it all year. I don't know if it is the humidity, how hot it got this week or what."
Coming off his two-hit gem against Atlanta in the first round, Prior cruised until the sixth, when Derrek Lee and rookie Miguel Cabrera led off with consecutive home runs that made it 11-2.
Prior gains win
Prior left with two on and no outs in the eighth to a standing ovation, having allowed three runs. Along with shutting down the Marlins, he shook them up by hitting a foul ball that scattered the Florida relievers sitting on a bench down the right-field line.
Baker found a neat way to finish it off, too. He brought in reliever Mark Guthrie, who served up Mike Lowell's winning, pinch-hit homer in the opener, for the last two outs.
While Prior was in control, Marlins starter Brad Penny was hit hard. He gave up seven runs in two-plus innings and was hooted off the mound.
"He just didn't have good location," Florida manager Jack McKeon said.
FLORIDACHICAGO
abrhbiabrhbi
Pierre cf5000Lofton cf5142
LCstillo 2b3000Grdzln 2b5121
Pavano p0000SSosa rf3212
Tejera p0000Godwin rf0000
LHarrs ph1000Alou lf4000
IRdrgz c3010O'Lery lf1000
Rdmnd c0100ARmrz 3b4111
DeLee 1b4121Simon 1b4132
Cbrera 3b4121Karros 1b1010
JEcrcn rf4010ASGzlz ss4323
Conine lf3030REMtiz ss1000
AGnzlz ss2000Bako c4321
Lowell 3b2000Prior p2000
Penny p1000Veres p0000
Bump p0000Guthrie p0000
BBanks ph1000
Helling p0000
Mrdcai 2b2000
Totals35392Totals38121612
Florida000002010--3
Chicago23303100x--12
E--Conine (1), Simon (1). DP--Chicago 2. LOB--Florida 8, Chicago 8. 2B--JEncarnacion (1), Conine (1), Grudzielanek (1), Simon (2), Bako (1). HR--DeLee (1), Cabrera (2), SSosa (2), ARamirez (1), ASGonzalez 2 (3). SB--Lofton (1). S--Prior 2.
IPHRERBBSO
Florida
Penny L,0-1277720
Bump121101
Helling354321
Pavano110001
Tejera110001
Chicago
Prior W,1-0783225
Veres1 1-310010
Guthrie2-300000
Penny pitched to 2 batters in the 3rd, Prior pitched to 2 batters in the 8th. WP--Bump, Helling. Umpires--Home, Chuck Meriwether; First, Fieldin Culbreth; Second, Larry Vanover; Third, Mike Everitt; Left, Larry Poncino; Right, Mike Reilly. T--3:02. A--39,562.