Sosa ejected because of corked bat
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By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
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CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa was ejected from Tuesday night's game because he was believed to have cork in his bat.
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The Cubs had runners at second and third with one out in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Sosa grounded out to second base, driving in a run. His bat split upon impact and home plate umpire Tim McClelland picked up the broken half. He called the other three umpires over to examine it.
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The umpires then showed the bat fragment to Cubs manager Dusty Baker and then third base umpire Lance Barksdale took the shattered bat into the umpires' room.
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The runners were sent back to the bases.
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McClelland told official scorer Bob Rosenberg that Sosa was ejected because he had cork in his bat. Sosa did not come out and argue the call.
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Sosa entered the game batting .285 and was playing his fourth game since being activated from the disabled list.
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Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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