THE BUNT AND RUN? I've seen the hit and run, and the stolen base, and the sacrifice bunt. The Milwaukee Brewers sent the beer-swilling widebodies beyond the Cheddar Curtain with a play they've been working on.

The winning run scored on a throwing error by Cubs first baseman Xavier Nady, but it was forced by Gomez's speed. He was running from first on Craig Counsell's bunt attempt, and when he peeked in and saw the bunt going toward third base, he never slowed and went for third. Catcher Koyie Hill had to race Gomez to the base and by the time he got there, Nady had airmailed the throw and Gomez scored easily.

Running on a sacrifice bunt and taking third is a play Gomez and Alexi Casilla practiced with the Minnesota Twins and a play the Brewers practiced on the back fields during spring training, hoping to surprise
a defense one day.

"That's our Willie Mays Hayes play," Counsell said, referring to the movie "Major League." "I play Tom Berenger and he plays Wesley Snipes."

It's an unusual way to manufacture a run, and I may have to open up something other than a Sprecher when the opportunity arises.