Chicago Captures Elusive Wild Card

Sammy Sosa got what he really wanted -- a trip to the postseason.

And Steve Trachsel? Now, he'll be remembered for more than giving up Mark McGwire's 62nd homer -- much more. He helped pitch those lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs, into the playoffs.

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"It felt great. It's been unbelievable," said Sosa, who went 2-for-4 and finished with 66 homers, four behind McGwire.

"Tonight, I forgot about the home run. I just wanted to win."

The Cubs survived despite a three-run rally in the ninth by the Giants. Barry Bonds, who grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh, came up again with the bases loaded but managed only a sacrifice fly.

The Cubs haven't been to a World Series since 1945 and haven't won one in 90 years, yet they're going to the postseason for the first time since 1989.

"They Barry Bonds couldn't help the Giants get past the Cubs and into the postseason. (AP)

When former Giants relief ace Rod Beck got Joe Carter to pop out to end the game, the Cubs raced to the mound, hugging and celebrating. And after a brief stint to the locker room for champagne, several of the players returned to the field, shooting their bubbly toward the sky as fans crowded to the edge of the grandstands to party with them.

Mark Grace, the only remaining member from Chicago's 1989 playoff team, took a tour around the field, raising his arms to the crowd, which included Michael Jordan throwing out the first ball and comedian Bill Murray singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the seventh-inning stretch."

"It wasn't going to be any other way with us," Grace said. "Five-run lead, tying run at the dish. That's the way it's going to be with the Chicago Cubs."

"Michael Jordan and Bill Murray. I just wish Harry and Jack were here."

No doubt, the Hall of Fame broadcasters -- Caray and Brickhouse, who both died this year -- are still a big part of the Cubs.

And now it's on to Atlanta, an extension of one of the most exciting seasons in their storied, sometimes laughable, always eventful, history. The Cubs, who won six of nine from the Braves, play Game 1 Wednesday.

Trachsel (15-8) didn't give up a hit until pinch-hitter Brent Mayne singled with one out in the seventh.

"I knew I hadn't given up a hit. And when Gary hit that homer, I just tried to keep zeros on the board and not let them score," Trachsel said.

Trailing 4-0, the Giants went on to load the bases with two outs and brought Bonds to the plate. But the three-time MVP, who has struggled in the postseason, grounded out against reliever Felix Heredia and slammed his helmet to the ground.

In the ninth, normal starter Kevin Tapani relieved and gave up a pair of leadoff singles. That brought on erry Mulholland, who went eight innings and threw 121 pitches Sunday.

Stan Javier hit an RBI single and pinch-hitter Ellis Burks walked, loading the bases with no outs and the score 5-1. But Bonds flied out, and then Rod Beck earned his 51st save, getting Jeff Kent on an RBI forceout and retiring Carter on a popup.

"I'm as happy as I can be," Beck said. "When (general manager) Ed Lynch signed me and brought me to Chicago, I've been hearing about their losing ways since I got here. I'm just glad to be able to help turn it around."

It was Carter's final at-bat in the majors. At 38, the hero of the 1993 World Series when he beat the Phillies with a homer, is retiring.

The Cubs nearly did not get this far, losing six of their previous eight games, including Sunday's finale in Houston. But they were saved when Colorado rallied from a 7-0 deficit to beat the Giants 9-8, forcing the first one-game playoff in the NL since 1980.

Trachsel and Giants starter Mark Gardner kept it scoreless until the fifth inning.

Henry Rodriguez singled and then Gaetti lifted a two-run homer to left, his 19th of the season and eighth since joining the Cubs on Aug. 19 -- his 40th birthday -- after his release by St. Louis.

Gaetti raised his arms in triumph as the ball landed in the left-field seats and after a delay as fans littered the field, he emerged from the dugout for a Sosa-like curtain call.

Singles by Lance Johnson and Sosa drove out Gardner (13-6) in the sixth. Rich Rodriguez relieved and after Grace walked to load the bases, Matt Mieske, called up from the minors earlier this month, lined a two-run single to right for a 4-0 lead.

Sosa went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, scoring in the eighth on Jose Mesa's wild pitch.

Trachsel hadn't won since Aug. 28 and had given up eight homers in his previous four starts.

The slow-delivering right-hander, whose long pauses between pitches served to take the charged-up crowd at Wrigley out of the game, struggled with his control.

He loaded the bases by hitting a batter and walking two in the fourth before slipping a called third strike past Brian Johnson. By the end of five, he'd already thrown 96 pitches.

Trachsel allowed just one hit in 6 1/3 innings, walking six and striking out six.

After Mayne singled, Trachsel walked pinch-hitter Matt Karchner.

After another reserve, left fielder Orlando Merced, reached into the seats to pluck Javier's foul fly, ex-Cub Shawon Dunston got an infield single to load the bases.

But Bonds bounced out to end the threat. Bonds, a career .200 hitter in four postseason series, went 0-for-4 with a sacrifice fly.

Monday night's game was the first one-game playoff in the National League since 1980 when the Houston Astros beat the Dodgers 7-1 to win the NL West. In 1995, Seattle beat the Angels 9-1 in a one-game showdown for the AL West.

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