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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Jon Lieber pitched like an All-Star. James
Baldwin, who is one, didn't.
With his slider biting across the corner of the plate, Lieber
struck out 12, fashioned his second straight complete game and
slowed down the Chicago White Sox with a five-hitter.
|  | | Cubs' pitcher Jon Lieber reacts to his last strike to end the game against the White Sox on Saturday. |
Meanwhile, Baldwin, who was chosen for Tuesday's game in
Atlanta, was roughed up, surrendering three homers as the Cubs
routed the White Sox 9-2 Saturday.
"Lieber is definitely a great daytime pitcher," said the White
Sox's Frank Thomas, who struck out three times. "He gets a little
more of an edge with that slider. It's a nasty out pitch, and even
nastier in the daytime. He was on."
Lieber's job was made easier when Eric Young and Sammy Sosa
homered in a four-run first and Henry Rodriguez hit another to
finish Baldwin (11-4) in the fifth. Lieber has worked at least
seven innings in 17 of his 19 first-half starts.
"I'm getting the chance to pitch late into game," Lieber said.
"Earlier in my career maybe, I'd only pitch five or into the sixth
and get pulled. Don Baylor lets me go and believe it or not, you
learn a lot from that. You can build off those games."
Lieber (8-5), who beat the Pirates with a two-hitter in his
previous start, lost his bid for a second straight shutout when
Magglio Ordonez hit his 20th homer in the sixth. Lieber walked one
and tied his career high with the 12 strikeouts.
Young, in an 0-for-18 skid, led off the bottom of the first with
his sixth homer and that set the stage as the Cubs pounded Baldwin
(11-4) for 10 hits and eight runs in 4 1-3 innings. It was
Baldwin's first road loss of the season after eight wins.
"I've got to get my location back. It's all right. You can't
win them all," Baldwin said. "I'll adjust, I'll promise you that."
After Young's homer, Joe Girardi and Mark Grace followed with
singles before Sosa, the Cubs' lone All-Star selection, unloaded a
long blast to center. It was his 22nd homer and just his fourth in
the last month. Sosa, who also fanned three times, is making adjustments at the plate.
"I don't remember the last time I hit a home run," said Sosa,
who has not been bombarded recently by trade rumors. "Hopefully I
can get in my groove and be ready for the second half."
Sosa's fly ball to left went for a double in the third when
Carlos Lee lost it in the sun. Sosa scored after a grounder and
sacrifice fly by Ricky Gutierrez.
After Girardi beat out a hit and Grace walked in the fifth,
Rodriguez hit his 16th homer to make it 8-0 and finish Baldwin, who
had his third shaky outing in the last four starts.
Ordonez's homer snapped Lieber's scoreless inning streak at 16
innings. Herbert Perry added a solo homer in the ninth. Gutierrez hit an RBI single in the seventh off Jesus Pena.
Game notes
After throwing out the first pitch, NBA free agent Tracy
McGrady -- being recruited by the Chicago Bulls -- joined Elton Brand
to lead the seventh-inning singing of "Take Me Out to the
Ballgame." ... Young's leadoff homer was the third this season and
13th of his career. ... Lieber also struck out 12 on May 29 against
Atlanta. ... Lieber is 3-0 in five games against the White Sox....
The White Sox lead the interleague series 9-8 with a 3-2 edge this
season. ... White Sox rookie Jon Garland, the Cubs' top draft
choice in 1997, pitched the eighth. Garland was traded to the White
Sox for reliever Matt Karchner in 1998. Karchner is now in the
minors. ... The first 17 games of the interleague series between
the two rivals have drawn 695,946, an average of 40,938.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Chi. White Sox Clubhouse
Chicago Cubs Clubhouse
RECAPS
NY Yankees 4
NY Mets 2
Chicago Cubs 9
Chi. White Sox 2
Cincinnati 14
Cleveland 5
Anaheim 6
Colorado 2
Atlanta 5
Boston 1
Florida 6
Tampa Bay 5
Toronto 6
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 13
Baltimore 4
Pittsburgh 4
Minnesota 1
Kansas City 5
Houston 2
Detroit 4
Milwaukee 2
Texas 8
San Diego 1
Oakland 8
Arizona 7
Seattle 11
Los Angeles 0
San Francisco 7
St. Louis 6
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Sammy Sosa thought Leiber pitched a beautiful game.
wav: 86 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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