DENVER -- Sammy Sosa hit three home runs and tied a Chicago Cubs record with nine RBIs in only five innings, then left the game at Coors Field before getting another at-bat.

Gone, gone, gone*

American League 4 -- Mike Cameron, Seattle, May 2, at Chicago White Sox 3 -- Nomar Garciaparra, Boston, July 23, vs. Tampa Bay 3 -- Chris Woodward, Toronto, Aug. 7, vs. Seattle National League 4 -- Shawn Green, Los Angeles, May 23, at Milwaukee 3 -- Lance Berkman, Houston, April 16, at Cincinnati 3 -- Erubiel Durazo, Arizona, May 17, vs. Philadelphia 3 -- Russell Branyan, Cincinnati, Aug. 4, at San Diego 3 -- Aaron Boone, Cincinnati, Aug. 9, vs. San Diego 3 -- Sammy Sosa, ChiCubs, Aug. 10, at Colorado 3 -- Mike Lieberthal, Philadelphia, Aug. 10, at Los Angeles *Players with 3 or more homers in a game this season

Sosa hit three-run homers in the third, fourth and fifth innings. He exited without an apparent injury in the bottom of the sixth with the Cubs leading Colorado 15-1.

Twice last season, Sosa left games early after hitting his third home run.

On Aug. 9, 2001, he connected in the seventh inning at Wrigley Field and then came out of a 14-5 loss to Colorado. Sosa said he appreciated the break from the hot and humid conditions.

Then on Aug. 22, he left in the sixth after hitting his third homer in a 16-3 romp over Milwaukee. After that game, Cubs manager Don Baylor said he didn't want to embarrass an opponent.

Sosa tied Johnny Mize's major league record with six career three-homer games. He also became the fifth player in history to homer in three straight innings -- Andres Galarraga was the last to do it, for Colorado on June 25, 1995.

The Cubs slugger took over the major league lead with 38 home runs, moving one past Texas' Alex Rodriguez.

The nine RBI were a career high for Sosa and matched the club mark set by Heinie Zimmerman in 1911.

Sosa's first two drives -- off Shawn Chacon -- were estimated at 490 and 468 feet.

The 490-footer to right-center was the third-longest in Coors Field history, trailing only a 496-foot shot by Mike Piazza and a 493-footer by Larry Walker -- both in 1997.

With runners on first and second in the third inning, Sosa connected on a 3-2 pitch.

With runners at first and second in the fourth, he homered to center to give the Cubs an 8-0 lead.

Again with runners on first and second in the fifth, Sosa homered off reliever Mark Corey. That blow, a mere 411 feet, barely cleared the left-field wall. It gave the Cubs a 14-1 lead.

Chad Hermansen, who replaced Sosa in right field, fouled out in the Cubs seventh.