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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) – The welcome home party was more perfect than Mark
Grace ever could have imagined. The rest of the Arizona
Diamondbacks got in on the fun, too.
|  | | Mark Grace follows through on his two-run single in the sixth inning. |
Randy Johnson, Byung-Hyun Kim and Bret Prinz combined for the
second one-hitter in Arizona history, and pinch-hitter Danny
Bautista hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning as the
Diamondbacks beat the Chicago Cubs 4-0 Friday.
For Grace, there was a rousing welcome from Cubs fans, who let
him know they'll always love him no matter what uniform he's
wearing. Then he hit a two-run single in the sixth inning.
"The ovation was unbelievable, unexpected and very kind," said
Grace, who finished 2-for-4 in his first trip to Wrigley Field as a
visitor after 13 years with the Cubs.
"It's a great day for me. In my professional life, it may be up
there as one of the best."
Johnson (5-3) got the win despite lasting only five innings, his
shortest outing since Oct. 1, when he went 3 1-3. He allowed only
one hit and struck out seven, but he matched his season high with
four walks and hit a batter.
Kim struck out seven, a record for Arizona relievers. He hasn't
allowed a run in his last eight outings, a span of 11 1-3 innings.
Jon Lieber (3-3) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings
for the Cubs, who have lost eight straight.
"We all know what Mark Grace has meant to (the Cubs)
organization and what this city has meant to him," Arizona manager
Bob Brenly said. "We all knew what (this game) meant to him. As
much as he might have tried to downplay it, everybody else knew how
important it was. Every guy in that room is just ecstatic for him
right now."
Much like Ernie Banks before him, Grace personified the Cubs in
the 1990s. Fans saw him as one of them, suffering through losing
season after losing season, but never losing hope.
He hoped to finish his career with the Cubs, but the team didn't
even offer him arbitration last year. He signed a two-year contract
with the Diamondbacks a day later.
Grace said before the game that he wasn't sure how he'd be
received. There never should have been a doubt.
When he trotted onto the field for batting practice, a few
hundred fans were already there to cheer him. Many wore his Cubs
jersey or hats with his No. 17 on them, and a few carried signs.
One read, "We Miss Grace." Another said, "We still love you,
Gracie."
Though the park was only about half full during pregame
introductions, there was a loud cheer when Grace's name was
announced. And when he came up to the plate for the first time,
leading off the second inning, the crowd of 37,830 gave him a
standing ovation that lasted more than a minute.
Even one of the Wrigley Field ushers was clapping as he walked
up and down the aisles.
"As a player, that's something you dream about, a standing
ovation," Grace said. "I did a lot of good things in this Cubs
uniform. Billy Williams told me, 'Mark, when you play well and play
a long time for the Chicago Cubs, the fans never, ever, ever forget
you.' And that's true, they don't.
"If you do a lot of good things in this uniform and go through
the good and bad times, the fans appreciate you and they love you,
and they always remember you. That was true today."
Fans even applauded Grace when he drove in the winning runs.
After pinch-hitter David Delluci and Tony Womack led off the sixth
with a single, Lieber walked Luis Gonzalez, loading the bases for
Grace.
He responded with a single through the hole that easily scored
Delluci and Womack. As Womack crossed the plate, fans gave Grace
yet another ovation.
"It's a little more emotional now that it's over with," Grace
said. "We're here to play baseball and we're here to try and win.
I didn't want my emotions to get in the way of what we were trying
to do.
"Now that it's all over with, I'm kind of glad it's over with
and that it would out the way it worked out. It's pretty much
storybook. For me, at least."
Game notes
Arizona's other one-hitter was Sept. 13, 1998, against the
Cincinnati Reds. ... Johnson is 8-0 lifetime against the Cubs. ...
Ron Coomer's first-inning single extended his hitting streak to
seven games. ... Diamondbacks infielder Matt Williams sat out with
a strained hip flexor. ... Lieber is 0-5 lifetime against the
Diamondbacks.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Arizona Clubhouse
Chicago Cubs Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 7
Minnesota 2
Detroit 18
Tampa Bay 2
Boston 6
Kansas City 3
Toronto 9
Texas 3
Cleveland 7
Anaheim 2
Oakland 3
Chi. White Sox 2
NY Yankees 14
Seattle 10
Arizona 4
Chicago Cubs 0
Florida 2
Colorado 1
Montreal 3
San Diego 1
Philadelphia 5
St. Louis 4
Milwaukee 0
Pittsburgh 0
NY Mets 8
Los Angeles 0
Atlanta 6
San Francisco 5
Cincinnati 7
Houston 4
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