Historic Day for Bellhorn

Mark Bellhorn expected to spend the afternoon watching Sammy Sosa return to Chicago’s lineup and give the Cubs some pop.

Instead, with Sosa sidelined by a sore neck, Bellhorn provided a pair of home runs--and history.

Bellhorn became the first player in National League history to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same inning Thursday as the Cubs defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 13-10, at Milwaukee.

“Sosa was going to play, but when he took some swings off the tee, there was no way he was going to go,” Cub Manager Bruce Kimm said.

So, Angel Echevarria moved from first base to right field to make room for Bellhorn, who ignited a 10-run burst in the fourth inning with a two-run shot off left-hander Andrew Lorraine that traveled 410 feet to center field at Miller Park.

By the time Bellhorn came up again with two out in the inning, Lorraine had given way to right-hander Jose Cabrera. Batting from the left side, Bellhorn connected on a full-count fastball for a three-run, 380-foot drive that made it 9-0.

“Sometimes it’s tough,” Bellhorn said of switching stances in the middle of a game. “I’ve been facing a lot of left-handers lately. You get used to seeing the ball that way. Then you step in the box against a righty and you feel kind of weird. After that first swing, I’m fine.”

Bellhorn joined Carlos Baerga as the only switch-hitters in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning. Baerga accomplished the feat in the seventh inning on April 8, 1993, for the Cleveland Indians against the New York Yankees.

San Francisco 10, Colorado 6--Barry Bonds hit his 40th homer of the season and Jeff Kent homered twice, powering the Giants over the Rockies at Denver.

Bonds hit his fifth homer in three games and Kent homered in his fourth consecutive game.

Bonds’ 455-foot shot gave him the sixth 40-homer season of his career. He has 607 home runs in his career.

The Giants won their fifth in a row to move within two games of the Dodgers in the NL wild-card race.

Pittsburgh 4, Atlanta 1--Tom Glavine’s wildness led to the Pirates’ first two runs and Pittsburgh got an effective start from Bronson Arroyo and a homer from Aramis Ramirez as it shut down the Braves’ offense again to win at home.

Playing their third consecutive game without injured outfielder Gary Sheffield, who has a sprained thumb, the Braves again struggled for runs. They scored one run in the last 21 innings of the three-game series.

Arroyo (2-1) held Atlanta to an unearned run over five innings, allowing five hits and striking out six.

Cincinnati 7, St. Louis 0--Jimmy Haynes drove in three runs and pitched eight shutout innings as the Reds won at Cincinnati.

Haynes (13-8) was an unlikely star--he hadn’t won since Aug. 3 and had never won 13 games in a season during his seasons with Baltimore, Oakland and Milwaukee.

Right-hander Woody Williams (6-4) returned from the disabled list--rookie Jason Simontacchi was sent to triple-A Memphis--and had his worst showing in a year. Sidelined since July 6 with a strained muscle in his side, he gave up five runs in four innings.

Houston 5, San Diego 0--Orlando Merced hit an RBI double and made two outstanding throws from right field and Lance Berkman hit his 37th homer, leading the Astros at Houston.

Pete Munro (5-2) and three relievers combined on a four-hitter. It was the Astros’ ninth shutout of the season, all at Minute Maid Park.

Relievers Pedro Borbon, Tom Gordon and Octavio Dotel didn’t allow a hit after the third inning, retiring 18 of the last 19 batters. Dotel got his sixth save in 10 chances.

Philadelphia 2, Montreal 1--Brandon Duckworth pitched seven strong innings and Bobby Abreu hit a two-run homer off Bartolo Colon (7-3) to lead the Phillies at Philadelphia.