Chicago Cubs: A look at five random team heroes

Chicago Cubs: The focus was on Sammy Sosa, but the man off the bench came through to win it.

The series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cubs at Wrigley Field from September 11-13, 1998, was filled with so much drama and excitement. Sammy Sosa was chasing Mark McGwire in the home run race while the team was also pursuing a Wild Card spot. Saturday, September 12th, was a crucial game and series for the Cubs.

Most fans remember Sosa hitting his 60th home run on the year that afternoon; a line shot down the left-field line that hit the porch across the street. However, the result was a wild comeback win, which ended up being pretty important in the postseason race.

Trailing 12-10 in the ninth, the Cubs rallied to tie the game on an RBI single from Tyler Houston. Then came up pinch hitter Orlando Merced. The veteran utility/bench man and longtime Pittsburgh Pirate had just been brought in by the Cubs after the Red Sox released him earlier that month. With two on and on out, Merced crushed a rocket into the right-center bleachers giving the Cubs a 15-12 win and sending Wrigley Field into hysteria.

Merced played in just 12 games as a Cub, but that one moment he had was tremendous. It took 163 games to get that Wild Card spot, but they needed every win that season to get there.