Friars take 2 of 3 from ‘Spos as Garvey turns back the clock

8/29-8/30 - Jack Murphy Stadium
Padres 3, Expos 2
Andy Benes vs Steve Rogers
Fate plays a huge part in the outcome of games and real life.  It was big Nate Colbert's fate to pull a muscle in his rib cage on his first swing during his first at bat.  It was Steve Garvey's fate to be called on in a pinch to replace Colbert and shine like a bright star.  You never know how these things play out.  San Diego lost their lone 30+ home run gun and had to replace him with an aging superstar with mid level power at best.  Garvey's first AB was a simple 4-3 ground out to end an inning.  His second at bat would be the difference maker in the game.  With runners on 2nd and 3rd Dave Winfield was issued an intentional pass in order to face Garvey with 2 out.  Popeye turned back the clock to his Dodger hey day when he was a certifiable doubles machine and did just that...he slammed a bases clearing double off the right center field wall to make it 3-0.  Steve Rogers, who walked 8 on the day, battled with his control, but his biggest problem was Garvey's two bagger.  For the better part of the afternoon it looked like Padre starter Andy "Merchant of" Benes would be able to make that 3 run lead hold up.  Montreal would chip away at that lead with a Tim Raines single / stolen base run in the 5th to make it 3-1.  After striking out Hubie Brooks to start the 8th Benes gave up a single to Warren Cromartie.  Dawson flew out weakly to center, but Gary Carter lined a two out single to right to put runners on he corners.  Ellis Valentine was called on to pinch hit and he delivered a 2 out RBI single to make it 3-2.  With the tying run 90 feet away Tim Wallach hit a slicing bullet headed for the right field line.  Once again fate was on the side of Garvey, who left his feet and snow coned the ball in his glove for the final out of the inning.  An inch higher and the game is tied.  Could Colbert have made that play ?  Highly unlikely.  Gary Ross would set the Expos down in the 9th to get his second save of the season in this "edge of your seat" classic.

Padres 5, Expos 1
Dennis Martinez vs Bruce Hurst
Welcome back El Presidente !  On second thought, who needs ya !  Dennis Martinez returned from a two week stink on the DL to give up 4 runs in 7 innings of torture.  From the onset it was easy to see that Martinez was not sharp.  He did gut it out and get out of trouble time and time again, but that type of effort just won't cut it when Bruce Hurst tosses a complete game 4 hitter.  Hurst’s lone mistake on the day was a lead off homer by Tim Raines way back in the first.  After that it was pretty much smooth sailing for the crafty lefty.

8/31 - Olympic Stadium
Expos 6, Padres 5 (11 innings)
Randy Jones vs Bill Gullickson
For the better part of the evening it looked like Padre ace Randy Jones was in firm control of the Expos as he was gunning for the Friars first series sweep of the season.  Heading into the bottom of the 7th San Diego built up a comfortable 4-1 lead.  It would all come crashing down with one Ellis Valentine pinch hit swing of the bat.  With 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th Valentine was called on once again to pinch hit for Mendoza line candidate Pepe Frias.  On a 2-1 pitch Valentine hit a line shot that hooked just inside the fair poll to make it a 1 run game.  The left for dead Expos now had life.  Jones looked to close the game out himself in the bottom of the 9th.  Tim Wallach went down swinging on 3 pitches for the first out.  Pinch hitter Mike Fitzgerald hit a one hopper to second that caught a seam in the astroturf and handcuffed Big Roberts at second, which allowed Fitzgerald to reach first.  That error would prove costly as Chris Speier singled to put runners on the corners and "the Rock", Tim Raines singled home the game tying run to send the contest into extra innings.  Andres Galarraga hit a bomb that somehow died on the track in right center or the game could have been over in the 9th.  A scoreless 10th was followed by a scoreless top of the 11th thanks to swingman David Palmer's 2 perfect innings of relief for the 'Spos.  Lefty Dave Dravecky started  the 11th for the Friars and easily got Palmer and Speier to ground out weakly to Luis Salazar at third.  Tim Raines would single to right.  Everyone in the house knew Raines was going to try to steal second and that's exactly what he did.  Dravecky was concentrating on the hitter, Hubie Brooks, and not paying much attention to Raines considering there was 2 outs.  Now Dravecky had to worry about "the Rock" scoring and he lost his focus and grooved a 2-2 pitch to Brooks who served it into left center to score the speedy Raines to salvage at least 1 win for the 'Spos in this battle of the 1969 expansion teams.