By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Friday's game

Sammy Sosa felt the tension go with the crack of the bat. "As soon as I made contact," he said, "all the pressure came out. I got that one behind me."

Sosa, the Chicago Cubs' slugger/goodwill ambassador, became the 18th member of baseball's 500 home run club with a solo shot off Scott Sullivan in the seventh inning of the Reds' 10-9 victory over the Cubs at Great American Ball Park Friday.

Sosa, 34, becomes the second Cub and first Latin American player to reach one of baseball's sacred numbers.

"I'm very happy," he said. "I've worked very hard to get where I am."

The home run was a big one. It pulled the Cubs to within a run at 8-7. They would eventually tie it 9-9. The Reds won it with a run in the eighth.

Sosa started the year with 499 home runs. He just missed one Wednesday against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

"The wind knocked it down," Sosa said before Friday's game. "I guess it will be in Cincinnati."

Cocky, eh? No, just realistic.

Sosa figured to get at least a dozen at-bats in the series. He hit a homer in every 11.3 at-bats last year.

Sosa lashed a 1-2 pitch from Sullivan in the seats behind right-center field.

The crowd of 29,048 knew as soon as Sosa's bat struck the ball. The fans were still on their feet cheering when Moises Alou came to bat. That prompted a Sosa curtain call.

"I feel great about (the crowd reaction)," Sosa said. "The fans appreciate the way I play the game. They showed their appreciation."

Sosa knew his chances were good in Great American. Its reputation as a hitter's park is spreading.

"That's what I heard," he said. "We'll find out. I heard the wind is blowing out all the time. That's good for the hitters."

Sosa's drives rode the wind in batting practice. He hit one over the big black batter's eye in center field and another on the catwalk next to it.

Reds starter Danny Graves hit Sosa with a pitch his first time up. Graves struck him out the next time up. Sosa flew out in his third at-bat.

He swung through the first pitch from Sullivan, took a ball, then took a bad hack to fall behind 1-2.

Sullivan's fourth pitch was out over the plate, and then it was out over the wall.

The ball was recovered by a 22-year-old fan. The Reds did not release his name. He's going to sleep on it before making a decision of what to do with the ball.

Major League Baseball will authenticate the ball today. MLB balls have a hologram for that purpose.

Sosa was glad to have the historic one behind him.

"It feels great to get No. 500," Sosa said. "Everyone has been waiting for this moment. Now, I don't have to think about it. I don't have to swing for a home run every at-bat."