CHICAGO: WIN CITY; CUBS WIN WILD CARD AND CHANCE FOR TITLE : CHICAGO 5, SAN FRANCISCO 3.

Byline: Rick Gano Associated Press 

Sammy Sosa got what he really wanted - a trip to the postseason.

And Steve Trachsel? Now, he'll be remembered for more than giving up Mark McGwire's 62nd homer - much more. He helped pitch those lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs, into the playoffs.

With a home run boost from castoff Gary Gaetti and two key singles by Sosa, the Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 Monday night to win the frenetic one-game playoff for the NL wild-card spot.

``It felt great. It's been unbelievable,'' said Sosa, who went 2 for 4 and finished with 66 homers, four behind McGwire.

``Tonight, I forgot about the home run. I just wanted to win.''

The Cubs survived despite a three-run rally in the ninth by the Giants. Barry Bonds, who grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh, came up again with the bases loaded but managed only a sacrifice fly.

``They had the momentum and Trachsel pitched a great game,'' Bonds said. ``There is nothing you can say except, `Congratulations.' ''

When former Giants relief ace Rod Beck got Joe Carter to pop out to end the game, the Cubs raced to the mound, hugging and celebrating. And after a brief stint to the locker room for champagne, several of the players returned to the field, shooting their bubbly toward the sky as fans crowded to the edge of the grandstands to party with them.

Mark Grace, the only remaining member from Chicago's 1989 playoff team, took a tour around the field, raising his arms to the crowd, which included Michael Jordan throwing out the first ball and comedian Bill Murray singing ``Take Me Out to the Ball Game'' during the seventh-inning stretch.''

``It wasn't going to be any other way with us,'' Grace said. ``Five-run lead, tying run at the dish. That's the way it's going to be with the Chicago Cubs.''

And now it's on to Atlanta, an extension of one of the most exciting seasons in their storied, sometimes laughable, always eventful history. The Cubs, who won six of nine from the Braves, play Game 1 Wednesday.

Trachsel (15-8) didn't give up a hit until pinch-hitter Brent Mayne singled with one out in the seventh.

``I knew I hadn't given up a hit. And when Gary hit that homer, I just tried to keep zeros on the board and not let them score,'' Trachsel said.

``I'm as happy as I can be,'' Beck said. ``When (general manager) Ed Lynch signed me and brought me to Chicago, I've been hearing about their losing ways since I got here. I'm just glad to be able to help turn it around.''

It was Carter's final at-bat in the majors. At 38, the hero of the 1993 World Series when he beat the Phillies with a homer, is retiring.

The Cubs nearly did not get this far, losing six of their previous eight games, including Sunday's finale in Houston. But they were saved when Colorado rallied from a 7-0 deficit to beat the Giants 9-8, forcing the first one-game playoff in the NL since 1980.

Henry Rodriguez singled and then the balding Gaetti lifted a two-run homer to left, his 19th of the season and eighth since joining the Cubs on Aug. 19 - his 40th birthday - after his release by St. Louis.

Gaetti raised his arms in triumph as the ball landed in the left-field seats and after a delay as fans littered the field, he emerged from the dugout for a Sosa-like curtain call.

Sosa went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, scoring in the eighth on Jose Mesa's wild pitch.

Trachsel hadn't won since Aug. 28 and had given up eight homers in his previous four starts. He allowed just one hit in 6 1-3 innings, walking six and striking out six.

Monday night's game was the first one-game playoff in the National League since 1980 when the Houston Astros beat the Dodgers 7-1 to win the NL West.

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PHOTO (Color) Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel gave up his first hit in the seventh in the Cubs-Giants wild-card playoff game.

Michael S. Green/Associated Press