Sosa Ejected for Using Illegal Bat

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Reuters
Tuesday, June 3, 2003; 11:45 PM

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs was ejected when umpires found illegal cork in his shattered bat during Tuesday's 3-2 Interleague win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Sosa broke his bat in the first inning on a grounder to second base with Chicago runners at second and third.

But crew chief Tim McClelland examined the bat along with the three other umpires immediately after the out was called and the run scored.

The umpires showed the bat to Chicago manager Dusty Baker before ejecting Sosa, who was standing in the dugout.

Sosa was still declared out and Mark Grudzielanek was sent back to third base and the run disallowed.

But the Cubs rallied to win, Troy O'Leary scoring on a wild pitch from Al Levine (2-2) in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Mike Remlinger (4-0) tossed a scoreless ninth for the win. Lenny Harris and Ramon Martinez drove in the other Chicago runs.

Carl Crawford had two hits and drove in two runs for the Devil Rays