The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO - Sammy Sosa hit his 548th career home run Friday night, tying Mike Schmidt for ninth place on the career list.

Sosa homered on the first pitch of the fourth inning, driving a chest-high, hanging curveball from the Padres' Ismael Valdez an estimated 417 feet into the first row of seats in center field. It was his ninth this year and gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead.

CARDINALS: Julian Tavarez's beat-up, smudged cap keeps getting him in trouble.

Twice in the last month, before he has been able to throw his first pitch, the Cardinals reliever has had his grimy cap checked.

Philadelphia manager Larry Bowa had umpires take a long look earlier this month, and on Thursday plate umpire Ed Montague had Tavarez swap the cap for a teammate's new model.

After Bowa complained April 29, La Russa had the bat checked of the next Phillie to come to the plate, Pat Burrell.

Tavarez, 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 18 appearances with one save, says the moves are gamesmanship.

"Every team does this because they are struggling, so they always try to mess with my mind," he said. "They're hoping I'll get a little crazy out there and make a mistake in a pitch and leave it out over the plate and they hit a home run. It didn't work."

INDIANS: Cleveland placed right-hander Jeff D'Amico on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a lower back strain and designated Jack Cressend for assignment. The Indians also recalled left-hander Cliff Bartosh from Triple-A Buffalo and purchased the contract of right-hander Matt Miller from the International League team.

EXPOS: Jose Vidro is close to signing a $30 million, four-year contract extension with Montreal. Vidro has spent his entire seven-year career in Montreal, becoming the Expos player with the longest current tenure. The three-time All-Star is hitting .262 with a team-high four homers and 13 RBI.

He is completing a $19 million, four-year deal he signed in 2001.

METS: Pitcher Al Leiter will miss his next scheduled start because of tendinitis in his left shoulder.

PORTLAND: Hoping to attract the Expos, city officials outlined a financing plan that would provide $340 million toward a new ballpark. The plan nearly meets the projected $350 million cost of a new ballpark. Baseball officials have said they want financing for a new stadium in place before deciding where to relocate the team.