This day in 1998 started off as business as usual for the fifth place Brewers, who gave up seven runs to the Cubs while scoring none in the first six innings. Three of those runs came on Sammy Sosa's 64th and 65th home runs of the season, which was also nothing new. Sosa took Brewer pitchers deep twelve times that season, easily his most against any team. (Mark McGwire also hit four of his 70 against Milwaukee).
The Brewers, however, got the last laugh, scoring eight unanswered runs in the game's final three innings to win 8-7. The last three scored with two outs in the ninth when Cubs left fielder Brant Brown dropped a Geoff Jenkins fly ball.
The loss dropped the Cubs into a tie for the NL Wild Card, which they would eventually win. The Braves swept them in three games in the NLDS.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 1994-99 and 2005-06 Brewer Jeff Cirillo, who turns 41.
- 1997 Brewer Pete Harnisch, who turns 45.
- 1989-90 Brewer Tony Fossas, who turns 54.
- 1971 Brewer Marcelino Lopez, who would have turned 68.