Sammy Sosa trudges back to the dugout after striking out. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        CHICAGO — Sammy Sosa insists he wasn't pressing. His swing said maybe he was.

        “In that situation, there is no pressure,” Sosa said Tuesday night when the Reds kept his chase of 500 homers on hold while beating the Chicago Cubs 1-0.

        Sosa finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts — two against starter Jimmy Haynes — and a weak popup, leaving him at 498 home runs with five games left.

        “They pitched me good. I got to be ready to go tomorrow. If it happens this year, great. If it happens next year. ...”

        Haynes (15-9) allowed just three hits in six strong innings.

        “I just tried to keep my pitches down and make Sammy chase them,” Haynes said.” I wasn't even thinking about if he was swinging for the fences every time.”

        Aaron Boone homered in the first inning off Kerry Wood (11-11), who entered the game 7-1 lifetime against the Reds.

        “Any time Kerry's out there you have your work cut out because he can dominate,” Boone said. “Any time you can win a one-run game with pitching, that's a good thing.”

        Sosa's bid to become the 18th major leaguer with 500 homers can wait until next season. But he needs two more this year to become the first player in major league history to have five 50-homer seasons.

        Flashbulbs popped all over the park each time Sosa took a swing on a chilly 58-degree night before a crowd of 28,919, small by Wrigley Field standards.

        “Hopefully I can do it this week at home and make everybody here happy the last week of the season,” Sosa said before the game. “Hopefully it can be over as soon as possible.”

Reds 1, Cubs 0 Reds Box, Runs Reds Notebook: LaRue irks Boone by hiding injury Sosa strikes out in HR countdown Giants widen wild-card lead Rockies rookie dooms Dodgers D'backs wrap up playoff berth despite loss Mariners stay alive - barely Angels still waiting for playoff clincher

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